The Spark
by Theoriginalflame
Summary: Harry’s got a new way to unwind, free from the stresses of having every one know who he is, he travels back in time to visit a night club. But one night his ‘No-interfering’ policy goes a stray. HP/SS
1. It's too Hot for That Cloak

**Title:**  The Spark

**Rating:** PG-13?  Something like that, nothing graphic

**Spoilers:**  All

**Pairing:**  Harry/Sev, with references to Harry/Draco in the past.

**Disclaimer:  **If I'm JKR then the world is a nice place.  No, obviously I'm not.

**Summary:**  Harry has to find a place to unwind, but every one knows who he is, so he travels to the past at night to go to the club, Spark, there he meats a young Severus Snape, and they get talking, ect.

**A/N:**  This is gona be so full of mistakes, its not beta read or anything, and I  myself am dyslexic so I cant see my own mistakes, anyway this was just some random plot bunny that attacked me and I had to put it on paper…no wait, screen?  Well what ever, it will be rushed, I want to get it finished before book five comes out, cos I like writing stories that stick to cannon as much as possible.  I'll stop rambling now.  Feedback is adored and treasured!  lata

**_Chapter one:  It's To Hot for That Cloak _**

    Harry swayed to the music well actually it was more like wildly dancing.  He was having a blast, finally a place where he could be himself, or the self he never got to be when he said no to being in Slytherin.

    The club was dark with strobe lights highlighting flushed faces and moving bodies.  There wasn't a chance in hell Harry would run into anyone that had heard of him, or met him or even anyone who had read his name from a history book.  Quite simply because he wasn't in any history books yet.  Harry had found the perfect escape, there was no where on earth he wasn't known about, what with the war going on, but there was a time on earth.

    He had gone back to the time his parents were at school.  Not to stay, he visited about twice a month.  All he did was dance, in the dimly lit club he was not going to be noticed.  His scar was well hidden with thick layers of Hermione's foundation and he hadn't looked the spitting image of James since the middle of fifth year when he had grown out his hair so it now rested on the tops of his shoulders.  He had gone back to before the war had begun, but not far enough for every thing to be different, and he avoided changing everything, or anything for that matter.  

    The Spark, Harrys new 'adopted' club was in Hogsmeade, and neither Siri or the others knew about it, Harry had checked with his godfather before coming to this time so there was no chance of running into them, and he doubted anyone else knew the way to Hogsmeade without getting caught.  The teachers' weren't very fond of Spark.  Not a very 'Hogwarts' sort of place.  Harry loved it.

    Harry wandered up to the bar, running a hand over his slick brow.  Ordering a drink he turned and watched the crowd around him.  They were smiling and grinning with the sort of care free abandon that the people he knew just could not have.  They had grown up in a dark shadow and just never were that relaxed.

    A hunched figure sat alone at the bar, a dark cloak falling over his shoulders like a waterfall.  Harry watched with amazement.  Wasn't the guy hot?  He himself was stifled in the smoky atmosphere with only a thin black shirt on with half the buttons un-done, and even that he was contemplating discarding.  The Black leather pants probably didn't help, but damn he looked good in them.  

    As a rule Harry didn't talk to anyone in this timeline, to much of a chance to screw things up.  But this guy looked seriously down, nursing a drink.  Harry, by his build placed him in seventh year, making the strange figure the same age as himself.  Apart from that he couldn't make out much else, the mans hair hid his face in a mass of luxurious ebony locks, and briefly Harry wondered what it would feel like to run his hands through it.

    Harry shook his head, he didn't even know what the man looked like.  He ordered a second drink and walked over to the stranger.  A single drink wouldn't hurt, just a little idle chat, nothing earth shattering, or time bending.

    "Hey."  Harry said struggling to be heard over the music.  He slipped over the second drink to the man who just looked at it and sat on a stool.

    "Hello."  The voice was rich and soothing; Harry started to wonder if idle chat was really such a good idea. 

    "I haven't poisoned it you know."  Harry smiled at the wary look the proffered drink was getting.

    "And why should I trust you?"  

    "Because I don't get on very well with my schools Potions Master."  Harry sighed, the stranger seemed familiar, and he had to find out who it was before they got any deeper into conversation. 

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~


	2. Latin

**A/N:**  OK, so all the disclaimers and such are on the first chapter.  I don't like this chapter, I'll maybe fix it later.  And a huge thank you to all of you who reviewed *hugs you all*

**_Chapter two:  Latin_**

"Really." the stranger smiled, suddenly he didn't seem so familiar.  Harry was sure he would have remembered someone that flooring.  The boys' eyes sparkled deep obsidian, his pale skin making him look vampirical and captivating even in the flashing lights.  Harry had to stop himself from doing anything 'un-toward' after all, he would most likely never see this guy again and the whole preservation of the time line thing was another of those pesky annoyances.  

    "So, you still haven't told me your name."  Harry smiled at him, hoping the name wouldn't be familiar.

    "That's because you haven't told me yours."  Ah, that was a point.  Harry couldn't introduce himself as Harry Potter, so what then?  A manic glint made its way to his eyes,

    "Tom." He could be anything he wanted, and well, he was having fun, so why not be Tom Riddle for the night?  Or just Tom.  Yes, he liked being Slytherin.  They weren't evil, just very clever and cunning and not as full hardy and rash as Gryffindors, and they were as loyal as any Hufflepuff, but unlike a Hufflepuff you had to earn there loyalty.  So Harry smiled, tonight he would stop being so damn Gryffindor.

    He ran a hand through his hair as the other boy surveyed him, and toyed with his stud for a moment.  He had a small snake stud in his right ear, he loved it, it was a gift from Draco.  The only problem was he could only wear it to this time line because in the other, Harry Potter would have nothing to do with snakes.  That was one of the reasons he liked it.

    "The name suits you."  Harry was shocked, that was one weird comment to make.  Was it possible for the other boy to know he was lying?  Not likely, he had been trained by Snape in the fine art of deception, only after long arguments between the Headmaster and Snape first though.   

    "Well, what's yours?"  Harry brushed the comment away and downed his drink in a one'er.

    "Guess."

    "Hey!  That's no fair!  I told you mine."  Harry signalled for another drink, deciding getting very drunk might be a good idea.

    "No you didn't."  Harry had to stop himself from gawping at the stranger, what was he psychic?

    "What?  How did you know?"  Harry smiled well naturedly, being caught in a lie was one thing, but it didn't mean he would have to tell the truth; he could just make up a different name, and an excuse, still didn't explain how he knew. 

    "Its not hard," the stranger chuckled, "Your bracelet has, 'we're with you always Harry.' engraved in it."  Damn, Harry silently cursed, sometimes Ron and Herm were just a pain in the ass even if he did love them.  They had given it to him when he had first joined the Order, just after they declared there love for each other.  The bracelet was in Latin so it wasn't really that obvious, unless you could speak Latin of course.

    "Ah."  Again the stranger laughed.

    "Well, I'll tell you what _Harry_, I'll give you a clue, my name is just like you're bracelet, Latin."  Harry sighed; he sucked at Latin, oh so badly, Snape had nearly bitten of his head off about it.  Damn, extra lessons were a bitch, life would be so much less haste if he didn't have to be a hero, and therefore well versed in every thing on the bloody planet!

    "Ugh.  I'm crap at Latin, can I get another clue?"

    "No."

    "Please?"

    "No, but is it that important?"

    "Um, well, is it, are you Sirius?"  The dark stranger snorted.

    "No, and I would ask you not to mention that imbecile in my company."  Harry let out a relieved breath.  Siri was the only person he knew with a Latin name that he had to worry about.

    "Oh, and what do you have against him?"  Harry was happily downing a new drink and debating weather to add another, but at the stranger hadn't finished his so he didn't.

    "Apart from him being some stuck up, arrogant, stupid Gryffindor?  There are reasons."  Well, he was a Slytherin then who ever he was, and he knew Harry's godfather.  Harry decided to order another drink after all, as the Slytherin finished his too.  His nerves were getting pleasantly relaxed and a couple of Vodka shots would be a nice follow up.

    The comment about Siri hadn't been one that would usually get you on Harry's' good side, but he was having fun, pleasantly tipsy and couldn't care less at that precise moment in time, nothing was going to ruin a good mood.

    "Ah, so I'm putting my money on you being a Slytherin."

    "How astute."  The man gave a teasing smirk.

    "Why thank you, I pride myself on my astuteness."  

    "So, you're not a Hogwarts student, but you do seem to know a lot about it, care to share, _Harry."  Harry got the feeling that the Slytherin wasn't expecting an honest answer, but probably wasn't going to pry about it either, god, he liked the Slytherin lot, if it had been a Gryffindor he would have been under wand point interrogation by now._

    "Would you prefer I ignored the question, or just lied?"  This would prove interesting.

    "I think we have safely covered that you are too good at fucking up lying, so how about we skip that one altogether."

    "Good, but let me ask you, why do you have such a bloody hot cloak on in such a stuffy place?"

    "Ever heard of cooling charms, and because I have a T-shirt on underneath."  The Slytherin said in all seriousness. 

    Ah, thought Harry. That made so much sense, well, actually.  No, it didn't at all.  What the hell would a T-shirt have to do with anything?

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~


	3. Holding His Hand at 2am

**A/N:**  Sorry this has taken so long, my internet was down.  Ugh, I hate servers, my email was down to, but on a plus side, I'm posting two chapters at once!  Thanks again to all the wonderful people who reviewed.

I think someone was asking why Sev would give such an obvious clue.  The way I see it, Harrys parents are in seventh year, and I think (don't quote me on this) but the war only started to get really bad until a year before Harry was killed and so I'm being 'artistic' with the time line, and if all else fails, in the books Draco seems to almost yell at people that he's a death eater or at least a wanabe, so sorta same situation here (or that's my excuse) =)

**_Chapter three:  Holding His Hand at _****_2am_****__**

    The cogs in Harrys brain were slowly turning.  Oh, shit no way it couldn't be!  But damn, it made sense, his hatred for Sirius, his knowledge of Latin, and having to keep the cloak on because he had a T-shirt underneath, well it would if he had gotten the Dark Mark already. 

    "Severus!"  Harry said aloud, he hadn't meant to but the drinks were starting to hit in.

    "Yes, but will the magician reveal his secrets?  How did you know?"

    "Um," Said Harry franticly groping for an excuse but finding noun, "I have to go, as in right now.  Great meeting you!"  The Slytherin voice inside Harry's head was laughing his ass of at the pathetic handling of the situation.  It was a spectacular cock up.  Guaranteed to go down in the history books no doubt! 'Boy Who Lives Tries to Seduce Teacher before He Is Even Born.'  

    "Wait!"  Severus' hand shot out to catch Harry's wrist.  "You know something about me.  Something important enough to make you try to run out of here like a you've seen a mass murderer, and what ever it is you are going to tell me now, because I am not the sort of person that likes to be oblivious to his reputation."  The Slytherin just proved he really was Severus Snape with that dark scowl and threatening tone.  

    Harry shuddered as a sudden thought attacked him, had he really wanted to run his hands through Snapes hair?  Yes, he had, and looking over at him, he still did.

    "I can't tell you."

    "Look, I don't care who you are, or why you're here, or your life story.  I just want to know out of all the Latin words in the world bar one you managed to guess my mane, and why when you did you started to panic." Harry looked into Severus' face and stopped struggling to free his wrist from the vice grip.  He felt a lump form in his through.  Severus looked to be on the border line of panicking.  

    "I really cant tell you."  Harrys voice was a whisper and all but inaudible in the loud club.

    "There isn't such a luxury, you wont tell me perhaps, but can't is a whole different matter."  Severus loosened his grip on Harry but still held on and pulled him back to the table.

    "I'm not from this time."  Harry sighed.  Snape had always had a cool head.  Maybe he would realise that this was one of those better best forgotten things and leave it at that, of even better, Obliviate himself.  

    The last Harry doubted would happen in Snapes life _ever.  The man wasn't the type to like to not know things.  He would rather have learned a tough lesson and live with the trauma of it all his life than risk making the same mistake twice.  And when exactly had Harry got so insightful on his Potions Masters personality traits?  Harry supposed it must have come from spending so much time with him in extra lessons._

    "I don't know what you take me for but that is a pathetic excuse, at least try something believable."

    "Look,"  Harry said trying not to let his words slur at all, "It's the truth.  I can prove it.  I know why you're having such a problem with having a T-shirt on.  Its because of what's on your forearm, that delightful tattoo of _his.  Do I need to go on?" Snapes grip tightened ten fold and his eyes went wide.  _

    "Do you want to get me killed?  Shut up and follow me, try to look inconspicuous.  Draw any un-due attention to us and you'll find out why I am not to be annoyed."  Snapes hand let go of Harrys wrist but took his hand instead, so tight Harry thought he could feel his bones grinding together.  Still he didn't say anything about it, he didn't have a death wish after all, well not much of one.

    Severus paid for the drinks and they left out into the dark of the night.  It was far colder than the bar and Harry felt himself shiver, in maybe ten minutes the Gryffindor was sure he would turn into an ice cube.  He reached for his wand to cast a heating charm but Severus saw the move and took the wand away.  

    "Wouldn't want you to do anything rash now would we?"  Harry sighed, he'd thought of that already.  If he hexed Severus and ran for it, Severus would spend way to much time looking for the stranger that could uncover him as a Death Eater at any moment.  That could change time to much.  He could Obliviate him himself, but he could run the risk of removing some really important memories, so Harry decided the best course of action was just to tell him what was going on.  What ever happened Snape had never mentioned it to him in the present/future so maybe Snape had never figured out the time traveller was Harry Potter.

    "I'm just cold!"

    "Why didn't you have a cloak them?"  Severus' tone was patronising through and through.

    "Because I wasn't planning on leave the club!" 

    "Well, how did you get there?  It was cold all day."

    "I time travelled, we've covered this!"

    "And I've already made it clear that I think that's a load of crap."  Snape said impassively.  They were walking down a dimly lit street, with a full moon high in the sky.  Harry gave a brief thought to Lupin.  Him, Peter, Sirius and of course James would no doubt be roaming the grounds of Hogwarts at that very moment.  Harry felt a twinge of longing to go and join them, but he knew he couldn't. 

    "I really am cold."  Harry muttered to himself.

    "Oh, do quit complaining.  Here."  Severus put his arm around Harrys shoulder and draped his cloak around the both of them.  Harry suppressed a laugh, or tried to, at the situation.  Rom would send him to Mungos if he told him that he had walked down the streets of Hogsmeade with Severus Snapes arms around him holding his hand at 2am in the morning.  Even if it was just to stop him running away or complaining, Harry couldn't help but lean into the arm around him, Severus was surprisingly warm and soft and Harry felt safe.  It was stupid.  Snap did at one point willingly join Voldemort, so he must have been evil at one point, but that didn't seem relevant.  Damn that Vodka!

    They kept walking until they made it to a small block of flats.  Severus un-locked the door and let Harry into flat number 6.

    It was a small place, beautiful though.  In the living room there were two matching sofas in a deep red and a mahogany book case and shelves.  There was a wizarding radio and Moving pictures all over the walls.  Most of them were Quidditch and Harry nearly fainted when he realised that Snape was the Slytherin team captain in them.  He didn't even know Snape played let alone was captain.  It did make sense though, Severus was amazingly graceful, and his younger self was just as light footed.   

    The floor was wood with a large sheep skin rug in front of a black marble fireplace.  There was a glass coffee table and doors leading into other rooms.  Shape let go of Harrys hand and placed locking charms on the door.

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~


	4. Drowning Sorrows

**A/N:**  Nothing much to say, just that I think it was seventh year Sev was attacked but I'm not sure (I can't get to my books) so if its not can someone please tell me?  Thankies!

**_Chapter four:  Drowning Sorrows _**

    Severus threw his cloak over the back of one of the seats and sat down, spelling the fire into life.  Harry sat down nervously on the other sofa, warming his hands by the fire rubbing them together getting blood flowing to them.

    "So, are you going to explain to me why you know who I am?"

    "I'm sorry Pro…Severus, but I can't tell you much more than I'm a time traveller from the future."  Harry laughed again, sounded like something from a Star Trek episode.

    "That's impossible.  The only time device is a Time turner and that can only send you back for a couple of hours."  Harry thought for a groggy minute and decided that explaining this couldn't hurt much.

    "Not so impossible.  There is a device in my time that can send you back to any date and time in history for as long as you like.  The only catch is that if you got to the past for an hour, you are missing from your own time for that hour.  It keeps your sense of time in order.  There is the whole don't mess with the past because you don't know what will happen deal as well.  So I can't tell you.  I could end up messing up my time line completely."

    "How do I know this isn't some kind of trick by Potter and Black's lot?  You look an awful lot like Potter when I think about it."  Harry didn't like that.  He had grown his hair out for the specific reason of not living in his fathers shadow, absolutely every one said he looked like his father.  He didn't want to, he wanted to look like Harry.

    "I'm not James Potter."  Harry said dryly.

    "Are you wearing makeup?"  Snape burst out suddenly after scrutinising Harrys face.

    "No!"  Said Harry automatically but after a disbelieving look, he decided to tell the truth.  "Yes, concealer.  I have a scar that I'm not all that fond of."

    "Right," Severus threw him a look that clearly stated 'pretty boy' in a mocking tone.  Harry really wished he were really, really drunk.  Then an idea hit him.  If he could get Severus drunk maybe he would get so wiped he would forget what happened next morning.

    "So, why did you look so down when I first saw you?"  Nothing like a depressing story to make people want to drown their sorrows.

    "Why are you asking?  I should be asking the questions."

    "But I can't answer them, so you might as well answer mine."  Severus narrowed his eyes.  He didn't like this.

    "Look."  Harry said, "I could quite easily have told the world you were a Death Eater by now, or just hexed the living daylights out of you and left, however I am sitting here.  So why not relax, its half way through November of my seventh year at school in my time frame.  If you're still pissed of with me by the time I get back you can punish me then.  OK?"  Harry didn't want to have to give a date and tell him how far into the future he had come from.

    "Very well, it seems I am at a disadvantage.  I'll tell you what ever you want to know."

    "You don't have to tell me anything."  Harry was starting to feel slightly guilty, he was for all intensive purposes black mailing a teacher, sort of.  If Harry told anyone that Severus was a Death Eater in this time, he would be killed, therefore Snape really would do anything to stay on Harrys good side, at least until he could find another way out of it.  If he killed Harry, he would not find out anything about the future, and he would have a hell of a time covering it up.

    "Fine.  You want to know why I was, as I was when you found me?"  

    "Yeah."

    "Black decided to play a little trick on me, and I played right into his hands."  Harry pitted his godfather; the hatred in Snapes voice was absolute.  That could prove very dangerous for Sirius.

    But what the hell has Siri done?  He had never told Harry about a prank that had really gotten Snape that worked up.  Except for the time Siri had tried to kill Snape.  Tonight must have been that night. . . Ah. . .

    "The Shrieking Shack?"  Harry asked softly.

    "Yes, how do you know?"

    "Because I've been told about it.  Are you OK?"

    "I'm fine now."

    "What happened?"  Harry felt a glint of triumph through his pity as Severus walked over to a drinks cabinet and removed a bottle of Maraschino (a liqueur made from cherries) and pour out two glasses.

    Severus handed him one and he tried it, it had a bitter, almondy flavour and was surprisingly nice, and strong too.

    "Lupin, do you know what he is?"

    "Yes, a werewolf."

    "Yes, well after I was lead down there by Black he attacked me, Potter pulled me out though.  Now, not only do I have some extra scars, but I life debt to another wizard.  After I got out of the shack I made my way here, I've got a good stock of healing potions among other things, took some, and then went to the club to relax for a little bit.  End of story."

    "Did he hurt you badly?"  Harry felt a sudden rush of anger towards Sirius.  He had seen just how sad Snape had looked, lonely and broken that was no way for any one to be.

    "No, it is Potter that hurt me the most any way.  I have a life debt to him.  The bastard who has made my life hell for the last seven years, I am expected to die for him if needs be."

    Severus swallowed his drink but Harry left his un-touched.  The Gryffindor reached out and rested a hand on his young Professor-to-bes' shoulder in an effort to comfort him.  

    What had made Snape so cold in the future?  Severus in this time seemed fully capable for having his feelings hurt, but the Snape Harry knew was as cold as ice and completely emotionless.  

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~


	5. If You Dance

**A/N:**  Much OCC in this of Severus, I tried to fix it but I just can't seem to get him right as a drunk.  I wanted him to be a depressed drunk, and maybe I will try to have him in the future, but for this I had to have him, well, you'll see.

Thank you all for you're lovely reviews!  30 already, I'm shocked and flattered!  

**_Chapter five: If You Dance_**

    "Severus, what happened to you?"  Harry whispered to himself so that his present company wouldn't here the rhetorical question.  

    He lifted his hand of Severus's shoulder, lingering just a little.  He got up and sat on the sheep-skin rug, his back leaning against the sofa Severus was currently occupying.  The sat in science for a few seconds before Harry felt a tingling in his scalp as Severus started playing with his hair.  'He's drunk.'  Harry repeated to himself soothingly as the Potions master did to Harry what Harry ad been wanting to do just a few short hours ago.  Life want fair.

    "Do you want another drink?" Harry asked, sparing a glance at his still full glass.

    "Yes why not!  I'm going to hell any way I might as well do it in style!"  Harry raised a single eyebrow in perfect mockery of the look Snape was destined to give him a million times over.

    "Ah, it was some leaflet I read, from Christian extremists or something, all drunkards, gays, wizards, drug abusers, blasphemers, liars, ect. ect. Will burn in hell for a very long time, Muggle head cases the lot of them."  Harry poured out another drink and silently snickered, he would be burning in hell then, he was guilty on all charges.  However it did lead him to think, he had never found out if Snape was gay.

    "Severus, can I ask you something?"

    "Besides what you already have?"

    "Yeah, well besides that."

    "Sure, if you'll pass me another drink."  Harry did just that, very aware of the hand that was still playing with his hair now working down his neck and tracing un-known shapes into the sensitive skin with feather light touches.  

    Harry silently commanded himself not to pick up his own drink, he was holding onto his self control by the skin of his teeth and losing it now would so not help.

    "Um, well, you've never said in my time, and probably will kill me if I know, but are you gay?"  Severus suddenly burst out in fits of laughter.  Well, thought Harry, at least the drink is working.  "Take it that's a no then."

    "No…It's…It's…Just..."

    "Spit it out Sev?"  The laughter subsided slowly.

    "Sev?  Pleas don't tell me I let you, or anyone call me that in the future?"

    "Na, but it suits you."

    "Oh well, I announce that you Mr. Harry… um Time-traveller are aloud to use Sev when addressing me."  It was Harry's turn to laugh.

    "Don't worry Professor, I won't hold you to that, but will you answer my question?"

    "What question?"  Harry sighed.

    "Are you gay?"

    "Quite, Harry, what did you think that thing with Lucius was, or Remus?"  Harry gawked, Lucius he expected, but Remmy?

    "When did you go out with Remmy?"

    "Remmy?  Cute.  I'll tell you if you dance with me."  Oh gawd, Harry was crap at dancing.

    "Sure."  Sev was getting really drunk, he probably couldn't dance anyway. Severus fumbled around for a while and eventually put on some music, and took Harry's hand.  Sev pulled him up to dance and he really was bad, but Harry got the feeling when sober Sev was probably an amazing dancer.  The close contact wasn't doing much for Harry's self restraint.  The dance slowed and Severus rested his head on Harry's shoulder and pulled closer till the moulded perfectly together.

    Self-restraint could go to hell.  Severus raised his head and his eyes locked with Harry's, ebony and emerald mixed, the colours of the Avada Kedavra and The Grim meeting for the first time face to face.

    "So?"  Sev whispered, to Harry, "What did you want you ask me?"  Harry cleared his throat painfully.  

    "Um, Remmy?"

    "Oh yeah."  Severus put his arms round the Gryffindor holding him in place.  "Me and the werewolf.  In fourth year, we where together for a couple of months, but Peter found out, and he gave Lupin the choice, leave me, or he would tell the others.  Lupin chose Potter and Black and to the best of my knowledge has never looked back."

    "Oh."  Harry had barely listened to what Severus had said; the melodic deep tones were enough to have him enraptured, and the warm, gently moving body was sufficient to distract him from even that. 

    Severus took a hand from found Harry's waist and traced it down the side of his face, gazing at Harry like he would disappear any moment.  Suddenly Harry froze, he couldn't do this!  But he had to, he had to make sure Sev didn't remember anything.

    A warm mouth leaned into catch his, Harry's breath hitched.  The potions master continued his gentle kiss and Harry tried to convince himself that he could just pull back, however he soon realised that his body had no inclination.  Harry started to kiss back greedily urging Severus on even as his mind screamed blue murder at him.

    This was not right, he was a professor, he was not like this in the future, he would hate him, he was a Death Eater, he was. . . he was. . . he was a damn good kisser.

    Harry pulled back, eyes wide as saucers, how could he have done this?  He had just kisses a very drunk death eater Teacher to be.  Time could very well be screwed up permanently, though he didn't know exactly how.  Severus was drunk; he probably didn't even like him.  Oh god oh god, Harry stumbled back blindly grabbing his wand from where Severus had left it on the sofa and darted to the door.

    "Harry, Harry?"  Severus called out confused.

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~


	6. Fallen Angel

**A/N:**  Hullo, you honestly didn't think I would let Harry go back so soon did ya?  Nope!  Again much OOC'ness but it fits the story.  I didn't like the ending to this chapter but if I'd written any more it would probably have become a double chapter.

**_Chapter Six:  Fallen Angel  _**

    Harry stopped in the hallway.  Severus had attempted to follow him but Harry had spelled the door shut and even if he hadn't, Severus didn't really seem in a fit state to be moving, let alone running after a seeker.

    He rested against the hallway wall sliding down until he was sitting on the floor with his knees in front of him.  He ran his hands through his hair and shut his eyes as if blocking out the light in the hall would solve the conflicts going on within him.  That kiss had been nothing like he had ever felt, sure he's had boyfriends and even a girlfriend or two that he cared about, but that kiss had hit him hard and emotional turmoil was not something he liked to deal with.

    It had been everything he had ever wanted, it felt safe and warm and loving and hot.  The kind of Romeo and Juliet type thing, only he didn't love Snape. . .

    For almost all of fifth, sixth and seventh year Harry had been getting extra lessons.  He got Higher Advanced charms; he got Higher Advanced transfiguration and all of the curricular subjects in Higher Advanced.  

    He also got other lessons though, almost all from Snape.  He had potions, but on top of that he got, Dark Arts, Defence against The Dark Arts, Latin, Deception, Dulling, Fighting (with swords, bow and arrow and other weapons) and martial arts.  He had done blocks of them all, and had for most of fifth and sixth year forgone a life in order to train for fighting in the war.  That had changed in seventh year when he simply flat out refused to, but he still spent a substantial amount of his free time on extra classes.  So in turn he spent an un godly amount of time with Snape.

    He had gotten to know the man well.  Harry mused.  He could almost read the mans mind.  The subtle gestures, the way he always straightened the right sleeve of his robed when he was angry about something but wouldn't voice it.

    Harry put all these things down to spending so much time with him, and wanting to stay one step ahead of him so that he could avoid trouble.  Yet, there was a part of him that loved that he could read Snape better than even Dumbledore could.   Even before tonight night he had liked the fact that he could see a part of the man that no one else could.  It had never occurred to Harry till that very moment that Severus had consciously let Harry see thet much of him.

    He couldn't leave now.  He had to make sure Sev, well he didn't actually know what he had to do but he had to see the young Slytherin again.

    He approached the door nervously.  The sound of Severus struggling with the door had subsided a few minutes ago, he pressed his ear to the thin wooden door to try and hear Severus, and what her heard shocked him.  Snape, grumpy git of all time was singing.  He couldn't make out the words but the melody was soft and mournful and had a flowing elegance most could never pull off with practice let alone when they were drunk.

    Harry closed his eyes again, this time not to shut anything out but rather to try and draw Severus's voice around him.  The man was an angel; clever, graceful, captivating, with an unearthly voice and doomed to walk the world, he was a fallen angel, and he would one day be Harry's.  Snape was Harry's fallen angel.  

    This was it, Harry mused, this was when the world should end, the apocalypse was due right now, and he could just imagine the conversation between the Devil and his minions_.  'Oh yes, Mr Potter has' … 'yes the boy with the big ol' scar on his forehead, has just described Severus Snape' … 'Yes the greasy Git who teaches potions.  Well Potter just described him as his fallen angel, so as per my' … 'OK, OK, sorry as per OUR bet with God we get to destroy the universe.  Wont that be a blast?'_

Oh well, he didn't like the universe much anyway.  He dropped the locking charms and slid in as quietly as he could.  The sight that greeted him stole his breath, Severus was lying on the shag rug with a bottle of vodka in one hand staring at the fire with the same intent look he had given his drink earlier.  He was still singing, occasionally taking a swig from the bottle, apparently he hadn't yet noticed Harry.

    Harry kept as still as he could.  He still couldn't make out the words to the song but daren't go any closer so he just stood watching his fallen angel sing.  As the song finished Harry glanced at the clock.  Lucky it was a Friday, he hopped Severus wasn't going to be missed tomorrow, however he certainly was but he could just tell people he was tied up with lessons or something.

    It was nearing 4am and Harry was getting really tired, but he stayed there watching Severus, after some fifteen minutes Severus fell asleep and Harry lifted him up, with great difficulty and laid him on the sofa and tucked Snape's cloak around him.  He didn't really want to go raking through Severus's rooms while the man was asleep but he didn't want to just leave him on the floor to sleep.  

    Once Sev was comfy Harry sat down on the other sofa for a minute to rest, he would travel back to his time, get some rest and then on Sunday go see Snape, if the man remembered anything things could go on from there.  Yes, Harry yawned widely, that was a good idea, he'd just close his eyes for a few seconds and then he would go.

    Sevs soft breathing and the occasional crackle of the fire lulled Harry deeper into unconsciousness until he was curled up on the sofa just as soundly asleep as the Slytherin and not likely to wake up for hours.

    The sounds of a hangover tortured teen roused Harry from his slumber, the clock on the wall read 10am.  He was so screwed!  Why had he fallen asleap.  The grumbling continued and was followed up by some colourful swearing in a verity of languages, and then a pleading for a handover cure.  Harry stiffly got up from his makeshift bed and raked around in the drinks cabinet for a bottle of familiar red liquid.  He was an expert on hangover cures, he knew exactly which ones worked and which didn't, he had used almost every verity of them.

    Harry Passed it to Sev who still had his eyes clamped shut for fear of any sort of light.

    "Thanks."  He scrunched up his face as he swallowed it.  Slowly cracking one eye open he looked Harry up and down before opening the other one.

    "Who are you?"  Severus asked hazily, still half asleep.  

    "Oh, Um…" 

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~


	7. Innocent as Hell

**A/N:**  OK Harry finally goes back to his own time in this chappy, and we get to meet Draco, who is far too chirpy in my opinion, and I'm the one who wrote him oh well.  

Thanks to all who reviewed, I love you guys so much! Now, on with the story!

**_Chapter seven:  Innocent as Hell_**

    "Um, I'm, Tom, we met last night."  Harry said hiding his bracelet determined not to make the same mistake again; it probably wouldn't have mattered anyway because Snape was still asleep for the most part and groggy, the hangover cure was good but it wasn't a miracle worker.

    "Uh, yes, I think I remember Tom, didn't I meat you at a club?"

    "Yes, The Spark.  We um had a few drinks and then you invited me back because I was tired and needed a place to crash."  There, that wasn't half bad.  Harry had the fleeting notion that Snape would probably be proud of him for being able to cover up the truth so well, but in hindsight, he probably wouldn't have been considering situation.

    "Oh, Um, we didn't…?"  Harry contemplated telling him they had kissed, but no, probably wasn't a good idea.

    "No, nothing happened.  I just needed somewhere to stay and you offered me a couch, we came back kinda late and I think you fell asleep right after I did."  

    "Oh, sorry, I'm being a terrible host."

    "Not at all, I have to be going now any way."  Harry looked Sev up and down; he looked damn hot in the morning all sleepy, with his perfect hair ruffle and the usual scowl missing.  He couldn't let Sev suffer unduly, or at least that was his excuse for staying long enough for the next comment.  "but do you want me to get you some coffee or something before I go?"

    "That would be great, the kitchen is through there."  Severus pointed to a door to the left of the room and slowly got up, heading to what Harry assumed was his bedroom to get out of the wrinkled clothes he was still wearing form the night before.  Harry looked at his own ensemble and cringed, his shirt was wrinkled and looked hideous and he made a mental note NEVER to sleep in leather trousers again, his hair was in its usual just got out of bed look, he praised who ever had invented all day/all night contact lenses too, he was so tired last night he would probably have forgotten to take his glasses off had he still had them. 

    The kitchen was spacious and clean, with cupboards and shelves that looked only half stocked, Harry supposed Sev didn't really stay here all too often.  He searched the cupboards for a while before finding a large jar of coffee, sugar and mugs.  

    "How many sugars?"  he called out.

    "One, and no milk."  Sev replied.  How in gods name anyone could like black coffee was beyond Harry, but it would seem to fit the Slytherins personality.  He made it quickly and walked back into the living room.  

    Severus was still getting changed; Harry looked at the bedroom door his mind working over time.  It wouldn't hurt would it?  Just an accident, innocent as hell.

    Harry threw open Sevs bedroom door and walked in brandishing coffee.

    "Here's the co…Oh, sorry, I didn't know you were still getting changed."  Snape was standing half dressed in jeans and not much else looking at Harry like a startled rabbit.  

    "Um, "  Snape cleared this throat painfully.

    "I'll just leave it there."  He placed the steaming mug on a small bedside table.  There was a lavish double bed in the centre of the room, a lot like the ones at Hogwarts but much bigger, oh the possibilities Harry mused sadly.  Oh well, he'd gotten what he wanted, Sev had forgotten all about last night.

    Harry walked out of the bedroom, noticing that Sev had his hand pressed over where his dark mark would be.  Reflex was an amazing thing. 

    "So, I'd better be heading, like I said last night I'm meeting my friends at 12."  

    "Yes." Severus still couldn't remember who this ravishing stranger was or if he had said that last night, but he was not going to appear stupid but voicing that thought.  His own, 'who are you' comment this morning was still annoying the hell out of him.  Damn it!  He was a Death Eater; he couldn't afford to invite strangers over to stay the night.  Just why had he done that?  It didn't sound like him at all, it was irrational and Gryffindorish.  

    Snape finished dressing quickly, grabbed his coffee and went out to have one last look at _Tom._

    "Well thanks again."  _Tom smiled and walked towards the exit.  He reached out to the door handle and opened it. _

    There was a flash of silver and Snape's eyes were drawn to the bracelet around Harry's wrist.  It was to far away to read the inscription on it but it set of a cascade of memories from the last night.

    The Time travailing Gryffindor looked both happy and sad as he left the room and headed off into the hall, oblivious to Snape's slow realisation of who he was.  In his mind he had solved last night's problem completely.  Now all he had to do was find a way for himself to forget that kiss and all would be well with the world.

    Harry pulled out a small pouch attached around his waist and removed the silver pocket watch; he flipped it open and watched the liquid gold substance where the dial should be.  

    "Domus."  A picture of the astronomy tower was formed by the gold liquid and he reached out to touch it.  He felt himself being pulled trough time, like a vortex.  He couldn't move, he couldn't make a sound; he couldn't even breathe for all of 10 seconds before being roughly deposited on the exact spot where he had left this time to go backwards almost twelve hours ago.  

    To go back in time, you had to tell it the exact, time date and location you wanted to go to, but to get back all you had to do was say 'Home' and it sent you to the spot where you left.

    Harry stowed away the pocket watch and headed down the stairs to Gryffindor tower to get changed.  The halls were blessedly deserted as he made his way, having to come up with an excuse for his absence all night would be simple, explaining his clothes would not.   

    "Harry!"  A familiar voice made him stop in his tracks.

    "Draco,"

    "Damn, you look hot, some new guy I should know about?"  Draco and Harry had become friends in sixth year and even dated for a while but became more like brothers than lovers and had broken it off, they were still good friends though and Draco was usually the first to know about any thing new that went on in Harry's life, but he had still never told Dray about his time travailing, there wasn't a specific reason, he just felt like it was his own secret.  He never usually got to keep secrets.

    "No, there isn't anyone I promise." Draco clearly didn't believe him.

    "Fine, fine Harry, if you don't want to tell me, I'll understand."  He put on a mock hurt voice.

    "It's not like that Dray."

    "Sure its not, come on, we have to get to lunch."

    "But, I have to go get changed first."

    "And deprive the school of you in leather?  I think not, besides, there is this really cute Ravenclaw that asked me out and I want your opinion on him, come on, stop being so vain, every one will have there eyes on me so it wont matter what you look like any way.  Hurry up!"

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~

Domus (Latin for home)


	8. The Difference between the Houses

**A/N:**  Thank you for all the lovely reviews, there isn't much Snape/Harry interaction in this chappy but it does sort show you a little of what's going through Sev's mind (hopefully)     

**_Chapter eight:  The Difference between the Houses  _**

    Harry stopped at the door to the great hall, he couldn't go in here, it just, he couldn't face Sev.  Yet, in Sev's perception it was almost two decades ago, he wouldn't be able to remember what Tom had been wearing, some random stranger he could remember talking to for only a few minutes.  He braced himself, taking a few deep breaths.  He could just slip in quietly.

    "Harry, are you OK?"  Harry didn't answer, he was mentally building himself up.  "Hey Potter snap out of it.  You really don't look to bad, here if it'll help."  Draco cast a smoothing charm on Harry's clothes and the Gryffindor burst out laughing, it was all about appearances with Draco.  He abruptly stopped when The Slytherin prince started gawking at him as if he had gone certifiable. 

    "Sorry Dray, just a little tired."

    "Yeah well, come on lets go shock some Hufflepuffs!  Its just to damn funny to see the looks on their faces"   Though Harry and Draco had been friends since sixth year they hadn't told anyone till a couple of months ago and the whole school had nearly fainted collectively, and even now people were still whispering about them.  The Hufflepuffs especially believed that it was some sort of joke and that one day they would walk in yelling at each other like old times.  A lot of the Gryffindors were under the same impression but the Slytherins considered Draco's personal life just that and if he wanted to be friends with Harry, well it had nothing to do with them unless Harry gave Draco any haste.  The Ravenclaws saw the strategic value in such alliances, and of course that they might just get along and very rarely had anything to say about it.

    So Harry walked into the great hall greeted with a mass of Hogwarts students in black Hogwarts robes whiles he was dressed in leather and looking rather dishevelled with a smirking Draco Malfoy at his side, late for lunch.  So much for slipping in quietly.

    Harry silently cursed every thing he could think of that could be in any way to blame for this.  Like the doors.  There weren't enough doors in this place damn it.  And the floor was too hard, it made too much of a noise when you stepped on it.

    The raven haired teen looked around the room, deliberately avoiding the staff table.  The Slytherins took stock of the situation and then went straight back to lunch; the Ravenclaws did much the same, the younger years quietly whispering about it.  The Hufflepuffs all looked as if their puppies had just died and were unsuccessfully trying to cover up their wildly speculator comments about whose dorm the Gryffindor hero had slept in last night and the Gryffindor table were staring out right.  

    "Harry a word of advice mate!"  Seamus yelled breaking the half silence, "If you're going to shag a Slytherin try to be less conspicuous bout it!"  Oh yeah, when he had actually been sleeping with Draco no one had ever found out, but now that he wasn't every one thought he was fan-bloody-tastic.

    "Mr. Potter."  McGonagall called from the staff table, Harry groaned and dragged his gaze up.  So far Severus hadn't even glanced his way, refusing to let the brat be centre of his attention ever.  Harry felt a slight sad tug pull at him.  No, bugger it he would not feel sad just because Snape wouldn't look at him, he would not care. 

    "Sorry ma'am."  Harry stood uncomfortably in the glare of the grey haired woman.

    "You are not supposed to be wearing Muggle clothes, is there some reason for it?"

    Now that caught Snape's attention, Potter flouting the rules once again.  His gaze panned down, and the fork in his hand fell with clatter milliseconds later.

    Pot, Harry, no damn it, POTTER was looking like sex walking, and there was something so familiar about him, it was more than the flash of annoyance he felt every time he saw the ungrateful Gryffindor, it was something so different to that, it sent a thrilling shiver down his spine and still he couldn't place it.

    The clothes were familiar, the dishevelled hair and glazed eyes of someone who had not had a decent nights sleep.  Potter was looking different from his usual self too, he was lacking the generic robes that covered every thing those sinfully tight leather pants did not, his hair was down, and he didn't have those awful glasses that hid his eyes, he was also wearing stud in his ear.

    Snape had taught Harry on close quarters for three years now, but he had never seen Harry look like this, Potter had always turned up for lessons appropriately, in combat dress, or school robes, and even a Gi, but never like this.  Some part of Snape had always known there was more to Harry than just his father, more to him than a boy that blindly followed what ever any one told him too, and lived up to the Gryffindor title, but how he knew this he could never tell.

    The seeker looked at him with fearful eyes, and then quickly snapped his eyes back to his Head of House.

    "Sorry ma'am, it was, um a dare."  Harry twisted the stud in his ear and then ran his fingers through his hair.  Snape was infuriated at his body's reaction to the simple movement.  Where had he seen Potter like this before?  It was so familiar and he felt like he could grab and kiss him then and there in the hall.  That was ridiculous. 

    The boy was lying, that was obvious, but probably only to him, no one else, well maybe Dumbledore, but certainly no one else would be that astute in reading people body language, the subtle hiding of the palms, the dilating of the eyes, the crappy excuse, Potter was thinking on his feet and not very well.

    "Mr Potter."  He hissed out, ignoring McGonagall's indignant humph, Potter was his student, he was far more aware of Har, Potters moods and feelings than any other teacher in the school thank you very much!  And if his pupil had done something so stupid he would be the one to dole out punishment.  He wasn't being protective over Potter, it was simple commonsense. 

    "Yes…Yes Sir?"  Harry looked terrified and was avoiding looking at him.  The whole hall was now whispering and gawking, Draco however was still smirking his patented arrogant, amused Malfoy smirk.  Snape had not missed the comment Seamus had made and felt a slight stab of animosity towards Malfoy.  This was ridiculous, he was a teacher, and Potter was a brat, a rule breaker and the 'boy wonder' not to mention James Potter's son and Black's godson.  What ever Harry was reminding him of, what ever feeling Harry's appearance was dragging up had nothing to do with the boy himself, surely?

    "Report to the dungeons after lunch to serve detention for the interruption and twenty points from Gryffindor and in future try not to make up such a pathetic excuse."

    "Yes, yes sir."  Harry sat down next to Herm and Ron who immediately started grilling him on his absence, his appearance, and just anything at all they could try and pry out of him.  

    Snape kept a close eye on Harry, not hard as he was sticking out like a sore thumb amongst the sea of black robes.  Harry lifted a glass of pumpkin juice to his lips and a flash of silver on Harry's wrist attracted Snape's attention.  No, it couldn't be, it wasn't possible.  Images from some twenty years previously invaded his unwilling mind. 

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~


	9. Friends and Journals

**A/N:**  Still not the detention seen yet but so damn close, it should be up some time tomorrow.  I'm looking forward to writing it.

I got more reviews for the last chappy than any other, and you are all so nice and sweet, I'm going to end up doing this every chappy but I have to say Thank youuuuuu all so much!  It makes writing worth while.  

//…// denotes the past

****

**_Chapter nine:  Friends and Journals _**

    //The boy had left, Tom, no Harry.  Severus didn't know what to make of it, he had seen the bracelet the man was wearing and it had reminded him of something from the night before, they were sitting, talking, in the club and, agh!   His mind was so fuzzy, it was so unclear, and the boy had said his name was Tom, but it hadn't been, it had been Harry, but he had said his name was Tom this morning again.  It made no sense that just wasn't right; nothing made sense with that strange dark haired boy.

    Why had Sev let him stay?  Why had he introduced himself as Tom only to be found out it was Harry, and then to say he was Tom again?  Why had he not left the building?  Snape had been watching out the window to see Tom/Harry leave but he never had.  He went to the door, he herd a voice, he was sure it said something so he opened the door and looked down the flats hall.  There was nothing, not a thing out of place, not a dark haired stranger in sight.  Where had he gone exactly?

    Severus went back into his bedroom and pulled out a small leather bound journal the he refused to call a diary, leafing to a clean page he wrote down all he could remember about Tom/Harry which didn't turn out to be very much, he added more as the day went on and his mind processed what happened the night before but he still couldn't remember much:

_    '…The stranger Tom/Harry stayed the night at my flat, he was average height with soft black hair and green eyes, he had a silver bracelet on, he may actually be called Harry, but he introduces himself as Tom, he called me Professor, he vanished with out a trace this morning, he makes nice coffee, he is bad at Latin.  He likes The Spark, he has two special friends, he doesn't get on with his potions master.  Maybe he was from another wizarding school?  He knew about Hogwarts, he guessed my house…'_

    The rest of the entry went on about Black and Potters trick and plans for revenge also a list of potion ingredients to replace his pain killing potions and healing potions.  Over the next few days his mind was obsessed with Harry, there was something that made him infatuated with the boy; he was desperate to see the teen again, to remember all it was he was forgetting he was sure it was something important.  

    His Journal was littered with speculations about Harry for months to come.  He started referring to Harry as the Night Dancer because he couldn't decide if his real name was Harry or Tom, and he remembered the way Harry had danced in the club, he had watched him, and been some what shocked and suspicious when he had come over to talk to Gryffindors most hated Slytherin, but he hadn't had a problem with him being a Slytherin had he?  Sev didn't think he had, but he wasn't completely sure. //

    Harry was not fairing well under the interrogation of his friends.

    "Harry!  You're sleeping with Draco!  What was that all about then when you were saying you're as close as brothers and that you knew all to well it could never go any further?"  Hermione had her arms crossed and was glairing at Harry in a way only she seemed possible of.  She did at least keep her voice to a bare whisper. 

    "I'm not sleeping with Draco!"  Harry protested.

    "Look mate, not meaning anything bad by this, I know you and Ferret get on well but you couldn't have chosen some one, I don't know, not Slytherin?"

    "Ron, I.  Am.  Not.  Sleeping. With. Drake.  And don't call him ferret!  He promised to be civil to you."

    "Yeah, and I bet he is really going out of his way to be nice."

    "Ron lay off of him!"  Harry had had this argument with Ron a million times over, most of his friends had accepted Harry's friendship with the Silver Prince after a little persuasion but Ron was bitter about it.  However right now Harry was just happy that it was providing a distraction so he didn't have to come up with an excuse for his absence.   He would be infuriated by the boys stubbornness later.  God, that sounder like a certain Potions Master, it was one thing to… well, not have a crush on him, surely not, um, well respect him, and happen to kiss him, but to copy him and sound like him, ah, that just want healthy.  Come to think of it, to um… respect him probably wasn't either. 

    "Yes Ron, I'm sure he's not so bad."  Ah good old Hermione, always there to mediate.  "So Harry, when did you get your ear pierced?"  oh dear, that tone was not very good, out of the frying pan into the fire, Hermione didn't like people putting holes into themselves, she thought it pointless, so Harry had hidden it with a subtle glamour.  He was going to kill Draco for not letting him go to his dorm and change.

    "Well, Drake sorta got it done with me, he got me the earring, and when I told him I didn't have my ear done he said that was the point and that he thought earrings were a turn on and thought I should get it done."  Ron nearly spat out his soup at the comment.  There wasn't any point in telling the two of them this had been months and months ago they would get even more annoyed at him for not telling them.

    "Harry you know, we are your friends, if you don't want to be honest with us about who you're sleeping with that's fine."  Herm looked furious; obviously she had decided for herself what Harry had meant.  

    "Herm, it's not like that, we were doing it for fun.  Me and him truly aren't an item, you know you'd be the first to know if we were."  Harry mentally winced at the words; he actually hadn't told them when they had been going out.  "And besides, he wants to go out with a Ravenclaw; he wanted my opinion on him."

    "Well then Harry James Potter, where were you last night and why are you dressed like that?"  Harry wanted the ground to open up and swallow him, he wanted to be in the middle of a Death Eater raid, he wanted to be any where but here.  He had barely touched his lunch even though he hadn't eaten for ages.  The meal was almost over and he had only had a few mouthfuls and a glass of pumpkin Juice.

    "Well."  Harry squirmed in his seat.  "It's just."

    "Mr Potter, you have detention, unless this conversation is vastly to important, you will follow me now."  Harry dreaded to think what would happen if he had said that he wanted to stay for dissert.  As it happened Harry was almost grateful Snape had been so eager to leave, he had to come up with a decent excuse for Herm and Ron and detention would give him time to think.  Thank god Sev didn't remember him, that would have made things so confusing.

    "Potter follow me."  Was it Harry's imagination or did Snapes voice sound a tad strained?

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~


	10. Memories of Night Dancer

**A/N:**  Please don't kill me for this chappy!  I won't give it all away but Sev will get over his hang ups, its just gona take a while! 

Thanks to Sirius28 who put me on their faves list, and to all those who reviewed.

**_Chapter ten:  Memories of Night Dancer _**

Harry walked as far behind Snape as he could, Ron though still mad at him gave him a commiserating look, little did he know that the thoughts flying through Harry's head went along the lines of the only thing even remotely miserable about being alone in the dungeons with Sev was that Sev would never know how he felt so he would never get to follow on from that kiss.  Well, for that reason alone maybe he did deserve to be commiserated.

    They walked out of the great hall and down the steps to the cold of the dungeons in a pregnant silence.  Harry not daring to break it and The Potions Master to stubborn to say anything.  The walk seemed to take hours; Harry was desperate to say anything, just something to break the silence.  

    "In here Potter."  Harry followed Snape into the Potions classroom, maybe he was wrong earlier, however nice it was to be able to fantasise about Severus, the Potions Master was still the same vindictive bastard he always was and was bound to give him something horrible to do.

    "Here, mark these."  Snape shoved a pile of papers and a quill into Harry who barely caught them.  He was grading test papers?   Well that certainly wasn't a very Snape sort of punishment, where were the barrels animals he had to gut?  Where were the dangerous potions that could kill him with a single drop he had to bottle and label till his eyes were so blurry he couldn't see?  "Well, stop sitting there like a moron and mark the papers."  Sev snapped settling at his own work bench to check on a potion that Harry recognised as the one they had been working on last month, it took at least six weeks to brew.  Sighing he turned over the first paper.  Ron Wesley.  Ah, there was the sadistic Snape he knew and loved.

    "Um, professor, these are my own classes."  

    "Yes, Harry, I am well aware of that fact."  There it was.  The transition between the Snape every one else saw and the one Harry did.  He had called him Harry.  The raven haired teen had never know if it was conscious or not but somewhere during their lessons Potter had become Harry, and his pathetic attempts had become passable.  Snape had eventually come to accept that Harry did have some talent in potions and had previously had Harry marking tests and exams however he had never before had the seeker doing his own class.

    "Aren't you worried I'll be less than objective?"  Harry asked in a low tone looking for any way out of marking his friends work, he felt wrong about it, knowing that if any of his friends failed he would feel terrible about having to put an F on it and that if he changed the grade on it to make it a pass he would feel just a guilty.  

    "We have covered all this work previously Harry and you managed to grasp the concept adequately, you will be able to mark it just fine."

    "But well, they are my friends."

    "Yes well if it bothering your Gryffindor sensibilities try pretending you are someone else, perhaps Tom or something."  Snape's voice didn't miss a beat or change tone once, and the moment he had finished speaking he had returned to his potion as if he had said nothing at all.

    Harry went drip white and took several shuddering breaths before he could respond.

    "You…you remember that?"

    "Get to work Harry."  Again the tone gave nothing away; Snape hadn't even turned round to face him.  

    Harry put Ron's test to one side and started to hesitantly mark the texts, the Slytherin's were easy to do as he didn't know most of them well, but the only Gryffindor's he had marked was Hermione's, because he knew it was safe just to stick a full pass on hers and move on.  Eventually he cast a spell on all the texts obscuring there names and making the hand righting generic so he didn't know whose he was marking. 

    It took Harry about an hour to finish all the tests and in the whole time Severus had kept his back to him in silence.

    "Professor, I've finished."

    "Very well, put them over there, you're dismissed."  That was it!!!  That was all he was going to get as a reply?  He had expected to be yelled at or sworn to secrecy, or expelled for time travelling illegally instead all he'd got was a short comment about his alias and then nothing.  That didn't sit to great with him for some reason.  He wanted Sev to care even if it was in a bad way, he wanted to mean something.

    "Professor, do you remember?"  He tried again.  

    "Yes Harry I do, now I would appreciate you leaving I'm very busy, and in future, do not turn up to meals in anything as ridiculous as that get up you are wearing currently."  This was infuriating; the man was ignoring the subject completely.

    "Funny, you didn't seem to have a problem with it when you were seventeen."  Harry suddenly realised that maybe that wasn't the best of comments to make, Severus could only remember him staying over for the night, and as far as he was concerned that was all that had happened, they hadn't kissed or danced or anything like that.  Or so Harry thought.   

    "I'm warning you Harry, walk away from this now."  Sev was having trouble dealing.  All through seventh year he had searched for his Night Dancer, and eventually the black haired boy had become some sort of enigma, when ever Potter or Black or even Lupin and Pettigrew got to Severus he would go to The Spark and look for the Night Dancer, and when he couldn't find him he would write imaginary letters to the one that for that single night had helped him escape the nightmare of his life.

    He had never told any one, but that night he had been prepared to take his own life, he couldn't stand it any more, he was a follower to an evil son of a bitch that seemed to enjoy torturing him as much as he did Muggles, he was under constant attack from Potter and Black at school.  His father was constantly at him to be a better Death Eater; he had lied to Tom/Harry.  The flat was not so he could stay at weekends and holidays, it was so he had somewhere to get ready for his Death Eater meetings with out having to keep his stuff at Hogwarts and a place where he could come back to recover from the curses and punishments that were doled out at these meetings with out rousing the attention of the schools nurse.  What was more he didn't enjoy what he was doing for Voldemort; along the line he had come so see the flaws in his fathers' logic, and at the insane plans of The Dark Lord.  Random acts of violence was pathetic, not the work of Lords.  He wasn't suddenly a huge lover of Muggles, he just didn't see the point in senseless violence. 

    But then The Night Dancer had come, and he had talked to him, and laughed with him, and called him Professor.  That had given him hope.  If he could be a teacher at Hogwarts then Dumbledore had to trust him, and forgive him.  His elusive Night Dancer had grown in his mind into something perfect and other worldly and had given him the faith to turn to the light side.  

    He wasn't ready for his Night Dancer to be real again, he wanted to keep believing in the perfect image that had replace the time hazed picture he had of Tom/Harry in his mind.  Yet he couldn't turn to look at Harry, afraid that what he might see would be just as amazing as the perfect memory of the Night Dancer he had long given up on but had never stopped treasuring.

    "Please Harry, just leave."  

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~


	11. Traitorous Charcoal

**A/N:**  Ugh, still no Harry/Sev in this chappy ether, sorry!  It's coming but I don't want to rush it to much.  Also I'm sorry if I've screwed up Hagrid as well, I can't seem to get how he talks right.

I have to wonder if you're all getting bored of me saying this (Or if any one even reads these)  But still, thank you all the reviews, they make me so happy and also make me write faster!

**_Chapter eleven:  Traitorous Charcoal _**

    Harry left the potions class room in silence, not running even though all he wanted was to get out of there as quick as possible.  He made his way up to the Gryffindor tower and all but threw himself into the shower. 

    He didn't know if he was angry at Severus or upset by him.  He knew that by rights he should feel grateful that Severus had completely dropped the subject but for some reason he didn't  instead he was left with a hollow in his chest that made him want to lash out at something and break down crying at the same time.  Even when he had thought Snape hated him he had never brushed him off like that.

    He finished his shower and got dressed in some loose black robes. Ron and Herm weren't in the common room; they were most likely off smooching in the library.  Harry smiled to himself at the thought; it was nice to know his friends were happy.  

    He settled down on one of the sofas in the common room by the fire but became fidgety moments later, it was late afternoon and he really needed to take his mind of Severus.

    Hagrid looked up as he heard footsteps approaching.

    "Lo' 'arry, good ter see ya."

    "Hi Hagrid, I was wondering if I could take Dusk out for a fly."

    "Arry, you gotta promise me that yer no gona get inter any trouble."

    "I promise Hagrid."

    "OK, an' remember,"

    "No going out of school grounds, no going within twenty feet of the wards, no going any where too visible, keep protection wards up at all times and if anything seems even a little bit off come back straight away.  I know, you've all drummed it into me enough."

    "I'm sure we 'ave."  Hagrid chuckled and went back to grooming Fang.  

    Harry sprinted over to the unicorn enclosure.  He had been riding Dusk for a little over a year, she was the reason he had taken advanced Care of Magical Creatures.  The midnight black unicorn watched Harry for a moment before returning to her grazing and Harry stepped forward to stroke her main, soft as liquid silk.

    She was very powerful and she reminded Harry of himself.  The legend of the black unicorn goes that they all started off white, the colour made them look pure and innocent, but there colour was actually because they were ignorant, but when a Unicorn loses its innocents and ignorance, they are as black as the night.  They aren't evil, just wise, and they bare a black coat like one would a scar, like the barely visible one on his arm from Wormtails knife.  Ever reminding them and those around them of what they have been through to cause such a change.

    Dusk was no different, and in accordance with the legend she came back more powerful than ever.  Harry had started learning to ride her the moment she had come to Hogwarts.  Hagrid had never said how he got her but Harry got the feeling it was by Albus' hand.  She was excellent for leading taking him to a fight, or protecting him.  She had magic of her own which made her highly sought after and phenomenally rare.  She didn't need wings to fly; she seemed almost to gallop on the clouds it was worlds away from riding a broom.

    Like all unicorns Harry rode her bare back, her light movements never jerking or displacing him.  Mounting her Harry urged her on and up into the clear bitterly cold November sky.

    Severus was alone, he could here Harry's footsteps echo and fade as the boy left.  He made his way to his private quarter's minutes later and pulled out a set of leather books that hadn't seen the light of day in years.  They were a part of his life he had buried but never truly parted with.  

    The pages were scrawled across in a teenage mockery of his spidery hand writing.  He might have thought them neat back then but to look at then now they were a mess.

    After a while he found the page he wanted, on it was a portrait of Harry, he wasn't an earth shattering artist but he was quite good all the same and had put pencil to paper to draw his Dancer.  He ran his fingers across the treasured picture, the well thumbed image of Harry's every detail mapped out perfectly.  It startled him just how very Harry like his Night Dancer was.  He had almost convinced himself that his Night Dancer was just a romanticised image he had created and stuck to Harry's mysterious visit.  But that was wrong, Harry was every bit his Night Dancer, Harry was also every bit his student.  

    He put the dusty journal away and sought out a piece of parchment and some charcoal.  It wasn't something he planned, and he hadn't drawn in years, his art supplies were paced in a cupboard and hard to reach but he got them out any way.  He wanted to draw his Dancer again, if only to prove that it really wasn't Harry.  That it was just his imagination gone wild.  He put charcoal to paper and drew with a passion that most of his students would have been shocked by.  

    He loved art in all its forms, like the perfect shimmering top of a bubbling potion that could never be reproduced, the most amazing of all masterpieces.  He loved drawing just as much, but it was a weakness his father had hated, he had said it was too emotional.  'It was not the hobby of a killer.' The sentiment was never spoken but that was the implications of his father's words could not be misunderstood.  

    He let his hand take over and watched as the picture formed.  Every line was right, every subtle smudge accented it perfectly, and every little blur made the picture of Harry all the clearer.

    He had drawn the Gryffindor brat; it was Harry standing centre stage.  The forest around him was somewhere they had trained before; the memory had been pulled from his mind and put down on paper almost against his will.  Severus picked up the picture and made to throw it in the fire but stopped only moments before letting it go.  For some reason he couldn't destroy it.  Dropping it back on the table he walked away, trying not to psychoanalyse his inability to destroy the image of his pupil.

    He needed to go outside, clear his mind a bit.  It was getting close to sun set and very few pupils would be outside.  He could think for a while without prying eyes.  

    The crisp air hit him as he left the warm of Hogwarts halls in favour of the cold out side.  Severus took several long deep breaths.  Something moving in the sky caught his attention.  Drawing his wand he prepared to set of Hogwarts intruder alarms, but as the black shape drew closer it took on the form of what he most dreaded seeing at that moment, Harry, riding on the back of a hose that almost blended in with he dieing light and heavy shadows.  

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~


	12. Truth is a Four Letter Word

**A/N:**  Sorry this is late, I've been feeling depressed lately, and I had this stupid Duke of Edinburgh thing to go to last night, and all in all I feel like locking myself in some very dark, cold silent room and telling the world in general to piss off.  But right now that's just not an option, so I'm sorry if the last few and probably next few chapters seem a little forced.  

Thanks for the reviews (broken record much?)  But seriously they have done wonders for cheering me up.

This Chapter is dedicated to **_Cat Samwise_** my _100th reviewer!  I never though Id get 10 for this story let alone 100! Thank You!_

**_Chapter twelve:  Truth is a Four Letter Word  _**

As the black unicorn drew near Severus searched franticly in his robes for a vile of invisibility potion, as a spy he had learned to carry round a small set of vials including a healing potion, an invisibility potion and a nice little number that caused one hell of an explosion.

    Finding the precious little bottle he flipped out the cork and drank it.  The potion was soft, it didn't really taste of anything, it tasted as ambiguous as it made you.  The stronger the potion, the more tasteless it became.  

    He was free to watch Harry with out having Harry watch him back.  He didn't know why he liked that idea, but it seemed as if he didn't know a whole lot of things as of late.  

    Harry was in his element, the wind whipped round him and he felt as free as he had ever been, the ever present restrictions of the wards were the only thing stopping him from soaring of into the dim light just to see how far and high he could go.

    He shivered slightly, not with the cold but with something else like someone was watching him, burning holes into him they were watching him so hard, he looked around and his eyes caught on a black shadow.  He looked again but it was gone.  Great, just great, he was getting as paranoid as Moody.

    Severus leaned against the hard stone of the wall, his eyes still trained on Harry.  He had watched the boy grow up, from the gangly eleven year old who looked so terrified of the sorting hat to the imposing seventeen year old who had cast aside his fears, faced terror and torment and yet retained the will to laugh and smile like there really was something left in the world to laugh and smile for. 

    Did Severus really deserve to be a part of that?  It was probably not even an option.  Harry probably didn't like him like that.  Severus still didn't remember the kiss.  He knew there was something of that night he was missing, but he never knew _what, and had only ever dared hope it could have been something like that.  Hope was one of those things that he never trusted though. _

    He watched Harry and the unicorn dance in the sky for an hour before the potion started to wear off.   Slipping back into the shadows of the castle he walked silently back to his rooms. He would see Harry tomorrow; they had lessons, until than he could be content to sit in the dark of his dungeons where no one could see him being human.

    Harry was getting tired, and his legs were killing him. Steering Dusk down he landed lightly on the grounds lead her over to Hagrid to be tied up and fed.

    He had missed diner so he went straight to the kitchens, he was due to visit Dobby anyway.  He went down the twisted corridors until he met with the painting, tickling the pear he walked in to the busy hustle of the house elves clearing up after dinner. 

    "Harry Potter Sir!"  A familiar high pitched voice squealed.

    "Hey Dobby, how've you been doing?" 

    "Very well Mr Harry Potter Sir, Dobby has knitted a scarf for winter!"

    "That's great Dobby, I was wondering, I kinda missed diner, could you whip me up something to eat?"  Blissful looks spread round the nearest House elves and soon Harry was surrounded by plates of all sorts.

    He ended up staying there for a lot longer than he had expected, the food was excellent and afterward he hung around to talk to the ever eager house elves about anything and every thing, Dobby about knitting and socks and Quidditch, the others about his favourite meals and things like that.

    It was about 10 o'clock Harry finally left; exhausted he started up the stairs back to his dorm.  Exhausted from lack of sleep and riding he stumbled into the common room and made a B line for his bedroom.  His irregular hours of training had gotten him his very own room and he thanked what ever higher power was responsible, he just wanted to go to sleep and not have to listen to Neville's snoring.  

    No such luck, Hermione and Ron were waiting for him.  

    "Harry mate, why didn't you tell me about you and Ferret?" 

    "Ron, please, I am not going out with Draco, I really can't put it in any plainer English than that."

    "Harry."  Hermione interjected in her usual calm collected but very much in charge voice, "Ron and I have been talking.  We understand you and Draco are close, and if you have decided to take it," She swallowed, "_further, with him, then that's fine with us.  But we are sad that you didn't tell us, we're sorry if we haven't been around much lately.  It's really our fault."_

    Harry stared at them like they had gone mad.  They had completely lost it, never mind a few crackers short of a full packet, they'd never even heard of a full packet, they were loopy as hell.  They were off in there own world. 

    "It's alright Herm, I haven't been around much either."  Harry very nearly burst into fits of hysterical laughter before realising too late that he actually hadn't contradicted the claims of him and Draco.  "But I'm not, you know, going out with Dray."

    "Harry, if you're not ready to admit it fine, but I warn you, most of Gryffindor and probably the other houses have guessed already."

    "Oh."  Harry wasn't sure what the hell else he could say; they were obviously going to ignore any form of truth.  "Thanks for the heads up."  Harry knew he was probably going to have to go see the Slytherin some time soon, in fact if he had really been on top form he should have gone then and there, but he just couldn't be assed.  Any way, the Silver Prince knew every thing going on in the castle, he was better aware of the grape vine than Albus sometimes so he probably already knew, and would be dealing with it in the best way he saw fit.  Harry trusted him, well, on this he did anyway. 

    "Night guys!"  Harry left quickly ignoring their funny looks.

    When he got into bed Harry found he couldn't sleep, his body was more than willing, but his mind was buzzing wildly.  He tried to remember the song Sev had been singing but only managed to hum a few bars; it had a sort of sad, haunted feel to it.  Eventually Harry drifted off to sleep, the sad melody with out words invading his dreams.  

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~


	13. Music Makes the Hero

**A/N:   **Ugh, whilst I was writing this chapter I was playing A.C.D.C and The Clash so loud that the neighbours complained!  How charming.  But I think the music goes really well with this chappy!

The reviews were really sweet, I'm glad you all don't think it's to forced!

**_Chapter thirteen:  Music Makes the Hero _**

    Morning came all to fast and Harry was really not in the mood to see every one, Dean had been banging on his door at some un-godly hour (9 o'clock) to find out what was going on with Draco, and then Ginny.  Both times Harry had just said he was getting changed, really, how long did they think it took him?  They still hadn't come back.

    Well, that wasn't really true, they had come back at least 3 times, along with other people, but Harry had music blaring, so loud that the common room could hear it perfectly through the stone walls.  It was a mix from Sirius of his favourite Muggle music.  Harry loved the stuff, and it made excellent 'leave me alone' other wise know and 'fuck of' music, because you could always tell people you just couldn't hear them knocking, currently he had A.C.D.C's High way To Hell blasting full volume to cover up Hermiones pleading for him to come out and talk to every one.  

    He was dreading his Ad. Potions, how was he supposed to act around Severus? Could he really call him Sev?  No, not likely, but would he be killed for trying?  Just how much did Severus remember? 

    He ignored all the pressing issues in favour of losing himself in the music.  Soon he started his martial arts practice, he usually did it every day but he had missed it yesterday, it was a great way to let out all your frustration and Harry found the music helped him to focus.  Made him work harder, he imagined himself in one of those movies where the hero was preparing for a major fight and were training like never before with some really heavy beated music in the background.  The surrealism was never lost on him, one day he really would need to use the training out on the field.  He'd been working for three years to become a fine tuned fighter and one day he would be the hero training.

     He had just started his Taikyoku-Shodan kata with Back in Black in the background when Draco marched into the room, throwing back the door with a crowd of Gryffindors waiting eagerly at the door, excited to find out what would happen, some were furious that a Slytherin could have the audacity to be in the Tower.  The cleverer ones realised that Draco was the only one keyed into Harry's wards and the only one who could get through without express permission and so he would have had to have been there at the very least once before with out them noticing.

    "Hey!  I could have been changing!" 

    "Yeah yeah Har, nothing I haven't seen before."  Draco shot him a cheeky grin, "Besides, I know you to well; you always play your music loudly when you want to avoid people."  Harry looked crestfallenly at him, and then nervously at the crowd of 10 strong hovering at his door.

    "Harry love," Draco grinned following Harry's line of sight, "I know you were worried about telling them, but I have explained it all to them."  Draco turned to look at them all at the same time throwing an arm casually around Harry's waist.  "Now, if you'll excuse us, Harry's due for an early morning shag."  Draco winked and kissed Harry hotly before slamming the door in their faces.   

    "Bloody Gryffindors, so nosey."  Harry was looking at him the same way he had Hermione and Ron before.  Had all of his friends gone insane?

    "Dray, um, not that I'm complaining, you always were an amazing kisser, but, well what was that all about?"

    "Har," Draco lounged on the red four poster in the middle of the room, "I want to know everything about what happened last night.  And I mean _Details, you are not getting away with 'it was a dare' with me.  I just saved your ass, what ever happened you don't seem keen on other people finding out so there for you owe me details."_

    "Yeah, thanks for that."  Harry smiled a genuinely grateful smile.

    "Yeah, well it's the perfect excuse for you and mystery boy to spend more time together."

    "I don't think mystery man would be very interested in spending that sort of time with me any more."  Harry suddenly felt very hollow at those words.   

    "Oh well.  Can we still pretend we're dating though, cos the, you remember the Ravenclaw I was telling you about?" Harry nodded.  "Well, he is still in the closet, and this way no one will suspect he is up to anything with me if we both disappear for a while, cos every one will think I'm with you."

    "Sure."  Harry laughed, forgetting his momentary melancholy due to Severus.  He was happy Draco had found some one.

    "So tell me about mystery man.  And before you say it, you are damn good in bed; I doubt there is any way he wouldn't want to spend that sort of time with you again."

    "I didn't sleep with him Dray!"  It dawned on Harry he had been saying something akin to that phrase an awful lot lately.      

    "Really, so what then?"

    "Well, I met him at a club."  Harry recognised the determined look on Draco's face and knew it was best to just tell him as much as was possible.  "He was gorgeous, and I so I bought him a drink, he looked kinda miserable, but, well long and short of it is, we got talking and he found out something he shouldn't of about me.  We went back to his flat, I got him blind drunk, we danced, he kissed me, he fell asleep and he forgot all of it, I think.  But now I can't face him because I don't know how much he remembers, or if he regrets it.  I tried to talk to him yesterday but he brushed me off."  Harry tried to race through it and leave out the emotional stuff but it was impossibly hard and his mask slowly cracked.  Draco still just looked at him, silently urging him to keep talking. 

    "It hurts, I wish he would remember, and then again I hope he never does, because I'll get into a lot of trouble if he does, and he'll probably hate me even more.  I really want to kiss him again, I want to dance with hi, I want to fall asleep with him and wake up with him.  I want to see if he's ticklish, and if I can make him purr, I want to see what's behind the façade he puts up."

    "Harry, bro you've got it bad!  But now, you're going to tell me the whole story again, this time with the truth, names, places, events, the works.  I actually want to know what happened in more than 3 word statements. " So Harry set about telling him everything, each painful little detail.  He had to tell someone, keeping it all to himself was driving him mad.  

~*~*~TbC~*~*~


	14. Rumours Affect Everything

**A/N:**  Finally!!!!!  We actually have some Harry Sev interaction in this Chappy!  Aren't you all so very proud of me?  Its actually the longest chappy for this story so far I think, about an extra 300/400 words.

I wasn't going to answer reviews but Id like to thank KDC who has just reviewed like almost every chappy at once.  I said at the beginning this was going to be full of mistakes, I'm trying to post a new chappy every day and I'm writing it in the same day so It wouldn't be fair to ask someone to fix all my mistakes that fast.  (However when I finish the story I might try to re-post it mistakes free) I'm also sorry if you're finding this boring, I'm finding it a little boring myself and I'm writing it but I didn't want to rush it to much.  Well this is turning out to be really long and I wasn't supposed to be, so I'll just say thanks for reviewing, hope you find this chappy a little better.  (The grammar and spelling are as crap as ever though.) 

**_Chapter Fourteen:  Rumours Affect Everything  _**

    "Harry, you have got to be joking me!  You are the Saviour of The Whole Bloody Wizarding World, you could have almost any girl and undoubtedly most of the men to if you wanted, but you chose the one, singular person who would have nothing to do with you for that fact alone.  My my Potter, aren't you a glutton for punishment, isn't the Snake Git causing you enough trouble so you have to go create your own?"

    "Dray, you know full well its not like that!"  

    "I know Harry, but I have to tease you about something, and this is one well that will never run dry!"  

    "You are impossible!" 

    "I know, I know.  So have you thought about what you're going to do?"  

    "I was hoping that I could maybe give Voldie a call and see if he wanted a second, no make that fifth, or whatever chance to kill me.  He's been lying low for so long now, it could be like his grand entrance into the wizarding world again."

    "Harry, don't even joke about that, besides, for what ever reason I think you pissed of the Grim Reaper, because he doesn't seem in any sort of hurry to come any where near you.  Knowing your luck Voldemort wouldn't be able to kill you if you even if you were a willing participant."

    "Long words for a Sunday morning Dray."

    "Sorry, but seriously what are you going to do?"

    "I don't know, I've got Potions in," Harry glanced at his watch, "Holy fuck! An hour! Oh God, what am I going to do?  What am I going to say? Oh God this is bad!  How do I look?"

    "Relax Harry.  First off, let's do something with your hair."  Draco rummaged around in Harry's drawers and pulled out a brush and a black leather strip. He tied back Harry's hair and grinned in satisfaction at his handy work. "Now, for the hard part, what to say.  Just be your self, tell him exactly what happened that way you wont have to worry about how much he knows, and if all else fails just use your animal magnetism."  

    "Dray, thank you so much."  Harry sighed and studied the floor.  "But I'm not sure any of it will make a difference.  He will seriously hate me."

    "Harry," Draco abandoned his good humour in favour of a guidance teacher type attitude.  "That guy has been my head of house for seven years, he was round the manor before that when I was growing up, but even I don't know him like you do.  He doesn't let people that close with out them meaning something to him."  

    "Ok."

    "Well, I think my job here is done.  I'm off to see the Ravenclaw."

    "Who is he?"  Harry asked.

    "I'm not going to tell you, he hasn't told very many people yet, so I suppose I shouldn't tell you before he does."

    "Alright, but promise me you will tell me eventually?"  

    "Of course!"

    "Well, later then."

    "Yeah, good luck!"  

    Harry collected his potions things and headed down to the kitchens.  Waiting around for an hour would do his nut in so he decided to go get some breakfast to kill some time.

    When Harry had finished breakfast he started walking as slowly as he could to potions.  Even at his snails pace he was going to be early but the butterflies in his stomach were making him feel almost sick and he really wanted just to get it over and done with.  He wasn't sure on Draco's advice still.  Telling Snape everything seemed like a momentously bad idea.  

    'Oh by the way Sev, I sort of kissed you when you were seventeen and blind drunk, but don't worry, I never even told you who I was, now is it twenty or thirty minutes I let this potion simmer for?'  Oh yes, fabulous idea.  Maybe he could taunt Fluffy with a steak while he was at it.  

    The classroom was empty so Harry crept in and set up his latest potions experiment.  Once he was finished he added a few more ingredients to the senses sharpening potion that Severus had been working on during his detention.

    There was still a good ten minutes to go before his lesson started and Harry was restlessly toying with his ink bottle in an effort to calm his mind.  He very often did the same thing with his quill in History of Magic out of boredom but Hermione had scolded him for it because he invariably ruined the defenceless quill.

    Tossing it carelessly Harry started a game with himself to see how many times he could throw it.  Just as he counted 14 the bottle lid came off staining his hands black and dripping all over the desk.

    Not wanting to start the lesson off with Snape in a bad mood Harry opened the drawers in the teachers desk to find some magical mess remover.  In the top drawer was a picture.  Harry had no idea Snape was into art, lifting it out careful to avoid getting ink on it he gasped.  It was him.  Severus had a picture of him in his drawer, but why the hell would he have that?  

    Footsteps from down the hall alerted Harry to his imminent danger.  Hastily slipping the picture of himself away he closed the drawer he stepped back as the door opened.

    "Potter, what are you doing at my desk?"  Severus had a fearful look on his face, quickly hidden by a well practiced scowl.  

    "I spilled some ink."  In Harry's expert opinion now was not one of the honesty the best policy moments, Sev obviously didn't want Harry to know he had a picture of him.  "I was going to see if you have any mess remover.  Do you?"

    "No Harry, I don't, now please never go into my desk under any circumstances."  

    "Yes Sir."  Severus ushered Harry back to his seat before opening a drawer and taking out a bottle of stain remover.  Passing it to Harry he went to cheek on the bubbling potion Harry had been working on.

    "Have you added the extra ingredients?" 

    "Yes, It just has to boil for another half an hour before anything else had to be done to it."  Harry finished scrubbing off the ink on the desk and brushed a piece of hair away from his eyes that had gotten lose.  Severus looked up at him and gave a rare genuine smile.  

    "Harry, your head."  Harry just looked at him.  It was an odd statement for anyone to say.

    "Hu?"

    "Come here."  Harry walked forward, and Severus just chuckled under his breath, Harry had a big black line running across his forehead.  Gently he reached out to rub it off.  Harry's breath involuntarily hitched at the touch.  Stepping closer Harry closed the gap between them. 

    "Sev."  He whispered quietly.  Severus jerked back.  He had herd the Slytherins talking that morning, apparently Harry was going out with Draco.  It made no sense to him as he knew that Harry hadn't spent Friday night with Draco and that was what every one was basing their assumptions on, yet neither Harry or Draco had been at breakfast today either so maybe they were going out.  It was all to confusing, but one thing he did know was he was not going to go behind anyone's back with Harry.

    He couldn't bring himself to reprimand Harry for calling him Sev though.  He liked the way Harry said it.  Usually he hated the childish nickname, but it rolled off the Gryffindors tongue perfectly.

    "Harry, get back to your desk." 

    "Severus, why do you keep avoiding this?  You obviously remember some of what happened.  You liked me back then, and I think in some way you still like me, but you keep going from hot to cold.  Just tell me what you want me to do!  I like you a lot, and I hope you like me back."  Harry blushed furiously.  He hadn't meant to say all that, but he had gotten so confused.  Severus seemed so relaxed with him, and he had been so close Harry could feel Sevs breath on his face.  But suddenly he had pulled back and brushed him off exactly like before.  

    Yet if Sev didn't at lest want Harry to acknowledge that he remembered that night then why had he mentioned Tom in the first place, and why had he not complained about Harry calling him Sev and why had he got a picture of him in his desk?

    It all pointed to Sev liking him back yet he kept pulling away and each time he did he cut a hole in Harry's heart.    

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~


	15. Come Back Alive

**A/N:**  K this chappy is really short, I wrote it in 20 minutes, I'm sick and have been in bed all day and was only aloud on the comp to check my emails but I really wanted to get this out ASAP so its short and rushed but at least you know what's going on.  I'm not sure if I'll be able to update tomorrow.   

You guys who reviewed are making me so happy, you have no idea!  Love you all!

**_Chapter fifteen:  Come Back Alive _**

    "Harry."  Severus looked briefly into Harry's eyes but felt his resolve wavier with the sorrow he saw in them and so looked away almost instantly.  "I hardily think this is appropriate.  Maybe I should remind you of your obligations to Mr. Malfoy."  Severus bit down on his lip.  He did not like the thought of the young Malfoy any where near his Harry but Draco could offer Harry a life he couldn't. 

    Sev at least hadn't denied he had feelings for Harry.

    "Severus, I am not going out with Draco.  We are just friends.  You could say we're using it as a cover story, we are friends, and we were once something more but not for a long time now and never again."

    "Very well, however there is still the matter of me being your teacher."

    "You're just hiding behind that!  I bet lots of teachers have had relationships with there pupils."  Harry gripped tightly onto the sleeves of Severuss's robes; afraid the man would just turn round and walk out at any moment.  He was well past pleading; he would not lose Severus, not when he had only just discovered the extent of his feelings.  

    "Harry let go of me."

    "No."

    "Harry, you are only proving your immaturity not let go of me!"

    "I'm not immature!  I have been through to much to be immature!  I put aside my House rivalry, something even you haven't been able to do!  How can you call me immature?"

    "Because, you are living in some sort of fantasy land if you think that people will not have a problem with me corrupting the famous Hero.  They will abandon you, judge you by me.  Do they not always say judge a person by the company they keep?  They will see me as a Death Eater, what does that reflect on you?"  

    "I don't care what people think Sev!"  Harry tried to pull Severus closer but the Potions Master stood stone still.

    "Harry, it's not just that.  I am a spy.  If Voldemort found out he would use me to get to you.  Even if you didn't care what people think it would have to be a secret unless Voldemort is destroyed."

    "We can keep it a secret.  Please Sev, Please."

    "Harry, this will never work."  Severus wrenched himself from Harry's grip and walked to the front of the class room.  

    "It will!"  Harry could feel hot tears burn his eyes.  He would not look weak in front of Severus, he wouldn't.  

    "Harry stop this now.  It will not work.  I will not let it."  I would never be the reason you were in danger.  Severus didn't say the last bit however his heart dearly wished he would.  

    "I won't give up."  Harry said in a steely voice before walking up to the front of the classroom and planting a chaste kiss on the stunned Potions Masters lips and walking out.  

    Harry's mind was a blaze, his hart was beating a million times a second and his legs felt like they would give in at any moment.  He had left the potions classroom only seconds before and was walking aimlessly trying to work out what the hell he was supposed to do next.  

    Severus had told him flat out no.  It hurt Harry more than any brush off had but he wouldn't give up.  He was at least part Gryffindor after all and willing to fight for him if needs be.  

    He just had to come up with a way to win him back.  That was probably Draco's department though.  Currently the Blond would be out with the Ravenclaw boy so it would have to wait.

    Harry ambled up to the Gryffindor common room and settled into a chair by the fire where Ron and Dean were chatting about Quidditch strategies.  

    "So Harry, when's the next team practice?"  Dean asked, Harry was thankful he hadn't come up with something about Draco.  That was the last thing he needed right now.

    "Wednesday night, if I can book the pitch."  

    "Brilliant, so what do you think the Ravenclaws tactics are going to be?  Ron thinks they are going to be really into the defective side.  Collin apparently saw them practicing."  

    The conversation lifted Harry's spirits and helped him forget about his problems with Sev.  He could deal with them later if he needed to.

    His scar started to burn.  It was just a sort of dull ach.  Not nearly as bad as it used to be before he had found a dampening spell to weaken the link between him and Voldemort.  Harry looked panic-stricken and Ron knew what was wrong immediately.

    "Mate, is there another DE meeting?"

    "Yeah.  He's summoning every one."

    "Fuck."

    "Yeah."  Harry didn't tell Ron but his number one concern was Sev.  He had seen what the man looked like after death eater meetings, it was not pretty.

    He went up to his dorm and started writing short notes.  On to Dumbledore to tell him the rough number of death eaters were going to be at the meeting, one to Poppy to instruct her to get ready for Severus when ever he came back and one to Sev himself that simply read, 'Come back alive.  I need you.'  

    Sending them all off with Hedwig he went back to the common room ignoring Dean who was trying to find out what was wrong.  Soon after he went up to his room to get his invisibility cloak, he couldn't stand just waiting around. 

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~    


	16. Harry waz ‘ere

**A/N:**  Woohoo, I actually got a chappy out today!  Now the world has stopped spinning!  I'm so screwed.  I spent £6 in the last 2 days on my fone.  Well just thought Id share that with you all, pointless information is always fun.  Like the fact a goldfish had 27,000 taste buds (Thank OD monkey for that little fact)  

Thank you for all the reviews.  I'm am actually feeling a lot better today so hopefully I wont have to spend another day bored out of my skull and not aloud on the comp for more than 30 min…

~…~ Parsletongue (sp?)

**_Chapter sixteen:  Harry waz 'ere _**

    Harry ran down the ever changing corridors until he reached the snake statue guarding Sevs rooms.  He couldn't describe what it was that made him so panicked but he just wished Severus hadn't gone yet.  He wanted to see him before he left; in all honesty he wanted to stop him going completely.

   The snake stayed perfectly still, Harry knew this was Sev's quarters but he didn't know how to get into them, it wasn't as if he'd ever been told the password.  

    A group of 3rd year Slytherins walked past on there way to lunch so Harry pulled the cloak tighter round himself.  He didn't have any real problems with the Slytherins any more, but they still weren't exactly friendly to him.

    "Professor, can I come in?"  Harry shouted once the 3rd years were gone, but there was no reply.   "Let me in!"  Harry howled at the stone snake.

    ~Ssstupid child.~ 

    ~Hey I resssent that!~  The snake looked mildly surprised that Harry had understood him.  Its stony appearance moving slowly.

    ~You're a sssnake ssspeaker?~  

    ~Yesss, No let me in.  I have to sssee Ssseverusss.~

    ~Not with out the passsword, besssidesss, he left a while ago, the room isss empty.~

    ~When will he be back?~

    ~He is no sssnake ssspeaker, why would he have told me?~  the snake looked at Harry like he was an infant.   

    ~Is there no way you will let me in?~

    ~No, not even the headmassster can come in unlesss Ssseverusss isss here.~ 

    Harry turned on his heal and left without even saying good bye to the snake statue. 

    The castle was quiet, almost every one was at lunch, but Harry himself couldn't eat.  He was usually anxious when Severus was called, he knew just what a fine line Severus walked as a Spy, one slip up and not only would he die painfully but so many of the Light sides plans could fall to ruin.  Today was different though, the fact that every one had been called was rare.  Voldemort usually didn't risk raising that sort of attention to himself.  Not when he still had Fudge adamant that he was as dead as they come. 

    There may well be nothing out of the ordinary, but it still didn't make him feel any better.  

    Harry looked at the door he had unconsciously stopped at.  The infirmary doors were not usually a place he walked through, he was usually carried through on a stretcher, or unconscious, very rarely did he walk through those doors.  

    Still wearing his invisibility cloak he walked through to door as quietly as he could.  Poppy had her back to the door, organising potions.  Harry recognised his own note sitting on her desk. 

    Harry walked lightly to 'his' room.  It was actually a intensive care room, for patients who were really roughed up.  Ron had nicknamed Harrys room because he had been there so often.  At the end of fourth year Ron had taken a piece of enchanted chalk that never rubbed off and had wrote 'Harry potter waz 'ere' on the wall followed by the date.  Poppy had been furious but couldn't get rid off it.  Ron had ended up putting a lot more dates down to follow that one.  Harry always did get into a lot of bumps and bruises.

    Harry looked at them.  He could remember what had happened to him for every one of those dates, the one where he and Draco had had there last fight which had landed them in there for two weeks.  They were much better at Dulling by then than they were in first year.

    The one where he had been knocked out by a Bludger after Gryffindor won the Quidditch cup in 6th year.  

    But not all memories were that simple, another was from his first exercise in the field, it wasn't that bad, there had only been a few Death Eaters, they were going after a valuable artefact.  Dumbledore had it now, but at the time they would have done anything to get their hands on it.  It was the first time Harry had actually turned an unforgivable on a fellow human being.  He had been in shock for the whole night.  15 year olds shouldn't have to know the Killing Curse.

    Would Severus be taken to this room?  Would he still be conscious?  He very rarely was.  Harry had never been aloud to see Severus after the D E meetings, but when he knew Sev was being called he frequently snuck down under his cloak to see if the spy was still alive.

    Harry had no idea if Dumbledore knew about his visits.  The old man had never mentioned them so Harry had taken it as a go ahead and had been grateful.  Now tough he was furious.  How could Dumbledore sit back knowing full well that every time Severus left he might not come back.  How could he do that to the man he loved.  Ah, um, scratch that, to the man he um… _liked.  _  

    Harry almost jumped when Pomfry walked into the room, needlessly sorting the perfectly made bed and fluffing the already fluffy pillows.  Apparently Harry wasn't the only nervous one.  After a while she left and Harry let out a relieved sigh.

    He would have to leave soon; he had to be at McGonagall's class room for Transfiguration lessons.  He left reluctantly, knowing the next time he was in there would probably be the next time he saw Severus.  He didn't relish the idea but still he hung onto it like a life line, because, the other most likely place he would be seeing Severus was a body bag and anything was better than that. 

    Transfiguration went past in a blur.  Harry could hardily care to listen.  He was working on his Animagi form but no matter how excited it usually made him he couldn't concentrate.  He received some very sour looks from his head of house that had obviously not forgotten the day before and was eventually excused.

    Harry made his way down to the Potions class room.  He had done the whole dramatic exit thing, probably best for him because he wasn't sure he could have stayed in the same room as Sev after that sort of rejection but the potion was probably ruined.  

    Harry walked into the classroom -he was aloud in here at any time to work on extra credit assignments- and peered cautiously at the potion.  

    Harry smiled.  Severus had obviously fixed it for him and it was bubbling nicely.  Once he knew the potion was fine Harry left for dinner, still not all that hungry, but his friend would start wondering if he didn't show up for at least one meal that day.  

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~


	17. Technicolour Potion

**A/N:**  *Looks all sad and teary.*  I only got 4 reviews.  Don't you guys love me any more?  *Sniffles a little and shuffles her feet.*   Na, I'm joking; I can't actually believe people read this drivel in the first pace, you're all very patient.  

This chappy there is some actual physical Sev/Harry, but still nothing _real_, and I'm sorry, its stops just before it, um, gets going?  It's just that I'm not going to write a proper lemon, I would just screw it up big time.  

Big thank you's to the people who reviewed!  Much appreciated.  

**_Chapter seventeen:  Technicolour Potion _**

    It was one thirty in the morning by the time Harry got to the hospital wing.  He had been fraught with nerves for most of the day and now he was here he was even more nervous if that was possible, faced with the empty bed.  

    Severus wasn't back yet.  Poppy and the Head Master and sometimes another teacher would go out to collect him from out with the anti-apparition wards and then bring him in.  Harry leaned against the wall closest to the bed.  He was really tiered but he didn't risk sitting down, the invisibility cloak tended to make that hazardous.  Draco had once sat on him because of it.  

    Hushed voices filtered through the closed door about 2am.

    "Albus, really, he is in a terrible state.  He can't keep doing this."

    "My dear, you of all people know how much it pains me to see him like this but it is his own choice, and he would be hunted down if he left.  They are not very forgiving of traitors, as you well know."

    "Yes, but it get harder to bring him back every time like this.  He doesn't deserve it."  Harry had to force himself not to throw open the door and go see Severus then and there.  

    At last the door opened and Poppy came in with Severus suspended magically a couple of feet above the ground and Dumbledore and McGonagall following still deep in discussion.  

    Harry watched as Severus was lowered onto the bed and Pomfry administered the potions she'd been preparing earlier, whilst running off a list of injuries.  

    Harry watched as Dumbledore's gave flickered over him for a second.  Harry still wasn't sure if Dumbledore could see through the cloak or not but he was always un-nerved by the way the man always, almost but not quite locked eyes with him when he was invisible in a way no one else ever did.

    He reached out and took Severuses hand the moment Dumbledore left, just to be on the safe side.  The long elegant fingers were cold against his.  

    Harry watched Severus, the man had a bruise across this right cheek that even as he watched was fading, his obsidian eyes were shut lightly in a fitful sleep, his hair slightly covering his face.  Once the bruise had all but gone and Severus was sleeping deeper Harry removed the famed cloak and gently brushed aside the hair, taking a clear look at his fallen angel.  

    Severus stirred and opened his eyes a fraction.

    "Dancer."  He whispered.

    "Hu?"  Harry said keeping his voice just as soft and as 'not really there' as possible. 

    "I'm dreaming about you again."  Severus had a contented look on his face that quite rightly worried Harry.  His professor was never happy.

    "It's not a dream professor, it's me Harry."  Harry was still trying to keep his voice down in an effort not to draw the attention of the three adults in the main wing of the infirmary.  

    "Dancer, you always say that, but I always wake up.  I don't want to wake up."  Severus reached out and pulled Harry to him.  Harry looked around franticly, trying to find out what was wrong with Sev.  His eyes lit on a small bottle on the bedside table with a technicolour potion in it.  It was a sweet dreams potion.  It was designed for people who had just come out of bad experiences.  It wasn't generally used because it had the side affect of keeping a person in their happy dreams for a full 3 hours weather they were awake or not.  It did do wonders for the patients though.  Made them feel happier and safer having just spent the past 3 hours in their happiest dream.  

    "Sev, shhh!"  Harry really knew he should pull away.  Sev was not in his right mind.  But Harry also knew this had to be Severus's sweetest dream, just another brick in the wall of reasons why they should be together.

    "Ok."  Severus lowered his voice to a breathy whisper and said something Harry didn't catch.  Leaning over the Gryffindor strained to hear.

    "Very clever move,"  Severus gave the inquisitive seeker a smirk before pulling Harry straight on top of him on the bed; it wasn't exactly hard because Harry had been leaning over any way trying to make out what Sev had said.

    "Sev."  Harry gasped as the older man flipped him not his back, pinning him to the hospital bed.  Without replying Severus kissed Harry, nibbling on his lower lip before Harry opened his mouth and slipped his tongue out to meet Sevs.  Groaning Harry arched up, wanting to be closer to the body who was pinning him.  It was as perfect as before, and Harry drowned himself in it.

    Severus ended the kiss and Harry protested loudly until he felt the feather light caresses trailing down his neckline to the top of his shirt which was promptly removed with a quietly uttered spell.    

    "Silencing charms."  Harry ground out as Severus began teasing him again.  A second spell was uttered and a wall of soundproofing encased their progressively louder moans and groans and gasps.  Harry was pleading with Severus only minutes later, dieing of ecstasy under Severus's expert administrations.  

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~


	18. She Will Have to Go!

**A/N:**  Hullo, sorry this chappy is a lil' late, I have been feeling crap for the last couple of days, and I have to get sent home yesterday from art of all classes!  So I've been off the computer for a couple of days and I'll probably be updating every other day or something like that for a little while until I'm actually back to normal.  What ever this thing is sux big time!  

Thank you, for the reviews!  They were all really sweet, and a big thank you to Lina Inverse the Dramata (I really hope that's spelt right!)  For reviewing so many of the chapters at once!

**_Chapter eighteen: She Will Have to Go!  _****__**

    Harry was drifting off into sleep, a feeling of warm contentment washed over him.  Severus was already asleep, an arm slung protectively around the younger boy and his head buried in the crook of Harry's neck.  

    Harry was exhausted, their earlier 'activities' had left him pleasantly comatose and every one of his limbs felt heavy.  He really would like to feel like this more often he mused.

    Severus' soft rhythmic breathing was slowly pulling him down into sleep, but Harry was fighting it as best he could, the sweet dreams potion would have worn off and the moment Severus woke up he was going to have to face the man's big bad more cold and unapproachable than ice routine. All he wanted to do was lye like this forever.   

    Eventually Harry too fell asleep, for the first time in his lovers' arms.  Neither of the sleeping couple was aware of the debate going on out side the room between Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey.  They had, about halfway through their love making shattered the silencing spell they were so loud and the problems that ensued were not something that Dumbledore had planned on.  

    "Poppy, I am sure he was just dreaming."  The headmaster had a familiar twinkle in his eye and bore a smile that would make anyone disbelieving of his innocent tone.

    "Albus, you cannot be serious, there is someone else in there!  I swear there were two voices."

    "I am sure you are just imagining it."  Most teachers would have known to leave it at that, Dumbledore did know every thing that went on in the castle, if he deemed something fit to be left alone then it was.  However, Poppy was fuming.  It was her patient, she was responsible for his welfare and not only was he under the influence of a sweet Dreams potion but he was in no fit state for strenuous activities, he would be exhausted tomorrow, he had classes to teach.  She had been polite enough to wait until they were finished, to her endless embarrassment.  But it was her patient she would not let _anything_ else happen!

    "Do not tell me what I can and cant hear headmaster, who ever that 'Dancer' is, she will have to go!"

    "Really, give the man some privacy."  Albus chuckled, Poppy was always headstrong when it came to her patients, she was especially protective over Severus because she had to treat him so often.  

    "I don't care who she is I just want her out.  Severus has to have his rest."  With that she opened the door and stepped in, Albus just laughed to himself and hunted around in his robes for a bag of Sherbet lemons, he had a feeling he would need something to give Poppy to suck on to stop her ranting.  He was very glad that Harry's head of house had left though.  As much as he loved the woman he had a feeling she would not be altogether pleased with her star pupils' choice of partner.   

    Poppy shrieked and stood staring wide eyed at the seen before her.  Severus and Harry seemed to fit together perfectly; they were curled up so close it was hard to see where one finished and the other began.   

    Albus walked in behind her and handed her a bag of sour candy before turning to look at the couple with an expression of fond joy on his face.  He would never have guessed Severus would give in so easily, but he had guessed of Harry's feelings, long before even the boy himself had.  

    Severus stirred, a light sleeper by nature the noise Pomfrey had made had woken him immediately.  He kept his eyes closed, hoping that the Medi witch would think he was still asleep and that her want for him to get some rest would out weigh her want of an explanation.  As it was he was right, after some gormless attempts at outrage Dumbledore pulled her out for the room and thoughtfully cast another silencing charm around Sev's and Harry's room.  

    "Harry."  He whispered shaking the warm body next to him.  It felt nice to wake up to have someone there, but Severus remembered every thing that had happened, he had to explain it to Harry, and hope the boy realised that noting should have ever happened, and find away for them to explain what had happened between them to Pomfrey.  

    "Morning," Harry said with a silly smile, still very sleepy, "told ya it wasn't a dream."

    "Harry, this is important."  Severus sounded impatient.  

    "Sev, please relax, I know about the potion.  I also know you call me dancer by the way."  Harry turned in the bed to face Severus with a cheeky grin.

    Harry lent forward and kissed Severus, hoping to cut of any of the long list of words that were likely to cascade out of that delicious mouth at any moment.  

    "I do no such thing."  Severus growled, pulling away from the kiss adamantly.  

    "Yes you do."  Harry snaked his hands around Severus' hips.

    "Harry, listen to me would you?  Poppy just came through with Dumbledore."  Harry laughed, but Severus looked like it was the end of his world.  "Look, you insolent little brat, I was under the influence of a potion, this does not change what I said before, I am almost a full 20 years older than you, I am old enough to be your father, I am a Death Eater are you seeing the pattern of bad circumstances here?  Now get off me."  

    "And go where exactly Sev?"  Harry held a sharp edge to his voice, all the laughter cut off momentarily.  "Go out to face Poppy and The Headmaster?  What would you have me tell them?  For that matter what are you going to tell them?  I am your sweetest dream, you can't deny that.  Not any more, so stop this hard done to attitude, what ever self torment you got going on I'm bored of it.  Albus gave you a second chance, so why can't you do the same?  I don't know all that much about your past, I am willing to learn though, but what ever you did, it's not worth hurting the both of us is it?"  Harry had meant to keep a hard, feeling less tone to his voice but he ended up pleading, he just couldn't understand why Severus was so determined to destroy this before it even got going.  

    Severus looked at Harry, when had the boy gotten so demanding?  No one would usually dare to say those things to him, every one was scared stiff of him, he made damn sure of that, so when had he let the boy wave so deeply under his skin?  Severus chose not to answer that, not particularly liking the answer he was bound to come up with.  

    "Harry get some sleep, we both have classes in the morning, we'll worry about Pomfrey then."  Harry smiled triumphantly and snuggled closer to the slim form of his Potions Master, cringing at the thought of the rest of the day.  It was already 5:30 am, Harry knew for a fact that Sev usually got up at 6am, still he let out a contented sigh and drifted off, he didn't notice when Severus put an arm around him and drew them closer together.  God help him, but Severus was so close to giving into the little brat.    

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~


	19. Fig Jam

**A/N:**  'ello all!  Wow thank you so much for all the reviews!!!  Sheash, I was really shocked I have gotten so many, so big hugz to you all, especially to Lina Inverse the Dramata and every one else who is having a crap day, cos crap days suck.  

Well, I'm not sure when I'll have the next chappy out, hopefully tomorrow, if not Saturday sometime, writers block is a bitch.

**_Chapter nineteen:  Fig Jam  _**

    Harry woke up as Severus slipped quietly out of his arms and got up to get dressed.  Harry whined in protest, partly at Sev leaving but mostly because he was exhausted.  Why did the git have to get up at 6am any way?  He would have had a sum total of half an hours sleep and he was not going to be able to sit through class for the life of him, but just as unlikely to be able to get back to sleep now he was awake.  

    Harry rubbed at his bleary eyes for a moment, before looking round the room.  His eyes flitted over the clock.  Hold on, that couldn't be right, it sad seven thirty.  Severus religiously got up at six; it was a sort of life rule for the man who liked the order of it.

    Harrys sight finally came to rest on Severus just as he was pulling on his robe, Harry swallowed hard as the last of Sevs pale chest was covered in the black fabric.  

    "It's late."  Harry murmured, still groggy, even if it was seven thirty he'd only had two hours of sleep.

    "Yes, I trust you slept well?"  Severus held no tone to his voice, giving Harry a sum total of zero to work with.  He grinned quietly when he realised what Severus had done.  The man had deliberately stayed in bed longer to give Harry longer to sleep without the chance of waking him up. 

    "Yes, thank you, very well."  Harry smiled at him and sat up, the sheets pooled around his waist and he felt a blush rise in his cheeks.  He was not exactly clothed.  Severus looked at him, the corner of his mouth twitched in a smirk and he threw Harry the discarded Gryffindor robe on the floor from the night before.

    Harry forced himself out of bed, he was more tiered than when he went to sleep he decided as he dressed.  Severus retreated to the bathroom as Harry put his clothes on.  

     Harry finished dressing and sat on the bed.  He could here the taps running in the bathroom.  God he was really tired.  The sleepy Gryffindor looked at the pillow longingly and slowly lay down resting his head on it.  He would only stay like this for a few minutes, just resting.  It would not be like last time, he promised himself.  There was no way he was falling asleep this time.  

    Severus returned from the bathroom to find Harry fast asleep on the bed.  He looked at his sleeping dancer and reached down to stroke his cheek.  Harry looked a lot like James, it was true, but there was a certain something that made Harry a vision in himself, he was not James, he was not Lilly, he was a perfect blend of the two that made him truly unique.  

    Yes, he would give what ever 'this' was a chance.  He had decided that first thing this morning when he had woken up to the slumbering raven hared seeker wrapped around him and discovered that he would rather Harry be happy than anything in the whole world and had lain there watching him until it was absolutely necessary to wake him up.  However, he would give this chance on his own terms, and he would have to find a way to keep the boy safe beyond anything, if there was even a chance Harry could get hurt he wouldn't risk it.  He would rather have Harry alive and just watch him from afar than dead but forever his.  Damn, he was starting to sound like a Gryffindor, damn that boy, he was already turning him into a sentimental moron.

    "Harry."  He said quietly shaking Harrys shoulders gently.  

    "Muummmhhuuuu?"  Harry mumbled trying to claw back the last remnants of sleep.  Severus sighed, the boy wasn't going to make it through the day, hardily surprising really, last night had been a little… energetic. 

    "Here." He handed Harry a glass vile from the bed side table that Poppy had thoughtfully left out for Severus the night before, it was a pepper up potion.  Harry looked at it, and then at Severus and back again.

    "Aren't you going to need it?"  He asked, pushing aside his tiredness for a moment. 

    "I have plenty down in my lab, it looks like your going to need this now." Harry drank it gratefully and felt better instantly.

    "Um, about last night," Harry suddenly became nervous.  Sev walked briskly to the door.  

    "We'll talk about that tonight, right now; we have to face the music."  He straitened his robes and beckoned Harry to the door.  Harry reached out and grabbed the invisibility cloak.

    "How about another plan?"  Harry said throwing it loosely around his shoulders.  The Slytherin head looked at him appraisingly. 

    "Sneaking out when no doubt Pomfrey and Albus are looking for answers?  Very Slytherin of you Harry."

    "Don't I know it!"  Harry replayed, softly sighing in contentment as Sev slipped his arms around his waist so both of them could fit under the cloak comfortably. 

    Harry pushed the door open slightly and both of them as light footed as possible walked out, passing Poppy who was lying down on one of the patients beds looking rather spaced, continuously babbling about how she was going to 'knock some sense into the boy.'  Harry suppressed a snicker, he knew exactly what had brought about Poppy's temporary drugged state.

    He had discovered that Albus had two supplies of Sherbet lemons, the ones he gave you at first, that convinced you they were just sweets, and the rather charming ones that semi sedated you for a couple of hours, leaving Albus time to do what ever is was he did, while you were slipping in and out of reality.  Harry had learned the hard way, and was as adamant about not taking candy from Albus as he was from Fred'n'Gorge.    

    They escaped into the corridor un-noticed, Albus no where in sight.  Harry pulled the cloak of them and made a smirk worthy of Draco.  

    "Fig Jam!"  Harry looked gleeful at evading the inevitable interrogations for a while.

    "And pray tell, what does that mean?"  Severus asked sarcastically. 

    "Fuck I'm Good, Just Ask Me."  Harry replied, good spirits not dampened bye Sev's tone.  

    "Yes," Severus said sceptically.  "Well, you had better get to breakfast."  With that Severus did his swooping thing and headed off to get a pepper up potion.  He was barley standing by the time he got to his rooms, he was exhausted and still in a measurable amount of pain from all that had happened and was really, really in need of that pepper up potion.    

    Harry walked quickly to breakfast, he would have to go up and collect his things before class.  

    Today was a very good day.  He had done all sorts of wonderful things to Sev, he had gotten away without the 20 questions he'd been dreading from poppy, he was going to have one hell of a story to tell Draco, and to top it all off like a glittering crown, Severus had said that they would talk about things tonight, so he was going to get to see Sev sooner than he had thought.  Oh yes, today was a damn good day.

    Now if only he could come up with a good excuse for not doing his Charms homework.  _'I was to busy worrying about Professor Snape, and then later on with buggering him to do the work.'_  Though had the potential to be hilarious probably wouldn't go down too great with the knee high wizard.  

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~


	20. The Stars

**A/N:  **hey, well this has a hideously fluffy Chappy ending, but I think its sweet, I can just picture it in my head.  

Thanks to all the reviewers.  Its such a buzz to get all those complements,  Honestly I swear its addictive!

**_Chapter twenty:  The Stars _**

    They day went past painfully slowly for Harry.  Most of the people he knew, and had known he had been gone last night had assumed he had been off with Draco for a late night romp, especially when he walked into the great hall looking well and truly shagged, and apart from some very varied looks -from out raged, to approving, to so some very forlorn ones and even a few jealous ones from some of the girls- most people left him alone about it.  

    Draco had sauntered in ten minutes after Harry and winked at him causing Lavender to giggle wildly.  

    The rest of the day had been most un-eventful.  He had gotten away with the missing homework due to some first class sucking up courtesy of Hermione and by the end of dinner the only truly notable thing was the look on Dracos face when Harry had explained what had happened to make absent for the night.  

    Harry was currently seated at the fire place in his room with Draco leaning casually on his shoulder.  It was about eight at night and Harry was starting to wonder if Sev had forgotten what he had said, or if it had just been a way of avoiding talking to him.  Draco had come round for moral support, after Harry had come back from his advanced Care Of Magical Creatures class looking like he was about to start chasing his own imaginary tail he had been so worked up and worried.  

    Draco had distracted Harry with tales of the still secret Ravenclaw and a colourful description of why he was late for breakfast himself, but as the clock struck eight thirty Harry was a wreck, but only his close friends would notice it, the fidgeting and the constant tossing of the little snitch Draco had given to him on their one month anniversary -They had gotten together at a Quidditch match, and the gift had seemed appropriate.  Harry had since named the golden ball his worry aid and toyed with it incessantly when he was nervous about something. -  were the only signs that he was outwardly giving, but Draco could read them all too well. 

    "Har, chill out would ya?"  Draco smiled at him reassuringly and gave him a quick hug.  Harry nodded in response and then let out a whoop of joy as an owl tapped at his window.  

    Harry dropped the snitch immediately and ran to the window and opened it.  The owl flew in happily from the cold and waited patiently as Harry untied the note attached to its leg before flying back out the window, not seeming all that eager to return to the bitter winds but well trained enough not to hang around. 

    Draco rushed up to Harry and read the note over his shoulder. 

_    Meet me at the astronomy tower at __11 o'clock___

_                                       ~Sev_

    Draco laughed out loud at the last word, pointing at it as Harry frowned at him.

    "Oh, oh god!"  He choked out; doubling over in mirth, Harry himself couldn't see what was so funny.  "He, he actually lets you call him Sev!"  Draco made a face and smothered his laughter.  "God, I'm sorry, but it's funny, Mr.  Professor Severus Snape Potions Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, actually willingly lets himself being called Sev.  Well, it really is love then."  Harry smiled, to nervous to actually laugh but still getting Draco's point.

    "I'm off Har, but good luck ok?"  Harry sighed and opened the door effectively dropping the silencing charms round the room.

    Once Draco had left Harry started his martial arts training, needing something to clear his head before his meeting at the astronomy tower.

    At eleven exactly Harry arrived at the astronomy tower.  Severus was already there, but Harry had expected that, the man always had to make sure he had the upper hand.    

    "Sev."  Harry smiled, Snape was standing looking out at the stars, he was leaning against a wall, and dressed so completely in black that if it wasn't for the stark pale of his face, Harry wasn't sure he would have been able to tell his lover apart from the shadows.  

    "Harry," Severus greeted, letting a little of the relief he felt that the Gryffindor had actually turned up show through in his voice. 

    "It's a beautiful night." Harry walked up and stood next to Severus, watching the stars.  

    Harry had first fallen in love with star gazing when he had been chased up that tree by Aunt Marge's blasted dog.  He had spent almost all of that night watching the stars because he had nothing else to do; he had found them hypnotically beautiful.  They looked at him just as the looked at ever one else, they didn't look at him and call him a freak and shine less brightly for him. They twinkled just as bright and just as beautiful for him as they did the Dursleys.  

    At the time Harry had not known he was special, in fact at the time he had thought he really was a freak, and the 'gift' the stars seemed to give him was priceless, to for once be seen equal in the eyes of someone.  Ever since then he had loved the stars.  They were the perfect companion, they always came back to you and they never judged you, they saw you just as they saw every one else.  Harry wondered what Severus was thinking about as he watched them.      

    "Yes," Severus's voice was quiet.  "You were right."  Severus said, still a low whisper, despite the silencing charms around the room and his gaze was still fixed on the sky above them both rather than on his companion.  "I do care about you."

    Harry's whole body loosened off, relaxing muscles he didn't even know were tense.  Now all he had to wait for was the _but…_

"More than I really understand, I care about you, but," Ah, there it was, right on queue. "I couldn't stand to see you hurt, not ever, I won't have more blood on my hands, and not that of some one I care about."

    "Fine Sev," Harry stole Sevs usual trick of keeping his voice expressionless, "I suggest you don't go around sleeping with Poppy then, of any one like that, Albus is probably fine though."

    Severus finally tore his eyes from the heavens and stared at Harry, unashamedly gawking.  

    "Pardon?"  

    "You heard me, if you started sleeping with Poppy then there would be a problem, because the dark side really doesn't care about her, they have no sort of personal vendetta with her, but of you started sleeping with her she'd be in danger, she'd either have to give up working on the good side, or they would have you hurt her to prove loyalty or something.  On the other hand, it doesn't matter with Albus, because they have a grudge on him any way, so he would be in as much danger if you weren't sleeping with him as he would if you were."  Severus just continued to study him.  

    "I'm already on Voldies top 3 list I'm sure, if we keep this a secret, at least for now, then I'll be in no more danger than I was before."  Harry looked deep into Sev's eyes, watching as emotions flitted through them to fast to read.  

    "Very well."  Severus leaned forward and kissed him softly, gently, not pressuring, not expectant, just a kiss.  When he broke away he wrapped his arms around Harry and they both sat down in front of the window.  

    "Can we forget about all that now?"  Harry asked, hopping this meant Sev had finally gotten over his barriers.

    "Yes."  Severus pulled Harry closer and lightly kissed the top of Harry's mess of black hair.  The boy had obviously thought all this through, Severus scolded himself.  Why had he ever thought Harry needed protecting?  Harry was capable of protecting himself better than any one.  

    They spent the next few hours watching the sky, Severus explained to Harry all about the constellations and the stories behind them, and Harry told him about life with the Dursleys.   

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~ 


	21. The Sleepers

**A/N:**  Wow, I'd like to thank every one who reviewed, love you guys sooo much!  Hands you all out mini Draco lollypops.  *aren't they cute?!*  

Well, I've only got, what, nine days till the next book comes out, so I'm not sure if it'll be finished, I'll try.  There will be, roughly, about another five chappys.  But that's a BIG Roughly, I have no idea how many exactly, but that's a random guess.  

*Update, soz this took so long, ff.net was being an ass and a half! So I only have like what 5 days now?*

This Chapter is dedicated to **_Golden.Slumbers_ my _200th reviewer!_  **

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**_Chapter twenty one:  The Sleepers _**

    Harry wandered up to his dorm about 3am.  Sev had left, they did after all have classes tomorrow and the Slytherin had insisted Harry get _some sleep before classes.   Harry gave manic grins to all the paintings he passed, paying no mind to the fact that they were all fast asleep._

    As he drew close to the fat lady he decided that he couldn't face the questions that were inevitable from the Gryffindors about there savoir walking in at this hour in the morning grinning, and headed off to see if he could shake Draco awake.

    Wandering down to the Slytherin dorms Harry went over his conversation with Severus.  It had been relaxing, not what he had been worrying about.  Severus didn't speak much, but when he did Harry was content to sit and listen to Sev's intoxicating tenor.    

    Nothing really important was shared.  Harry told Sev about Marge, and his primary school, glossing over his life with the Dursleys, still not content to tell his elder lover the truth about his past, and the Potions master had stuck to equally safe topics, school, his days playing Quidditch, the stars neither really wanting to disrupt the perfect sort of calm that had washed over the whole of Hogwarts.  Harry couldn't place it, but there seemed to be a soothing calm about the night.

    Severus felt his wards tingle as he settled in for the night.  He had left Harry only a little while ago and was doing his level best not to appear in any way happy.  He was failing, something he was accustom to, but never with his emotions.  The cold 'I'm a heartless bastard' routine was well practiced, so much so that it became a second skin.  Yet Harry had managed to break it, and boy had he ever!  

    Sev gave a long suffering sigh and made his way to the Slytherin dorms, as slowly as possible.  The wards around the place weren't strictly aloud.  Something about privacy, or some such nonsense that Albus always twittered on about.  

    However Snape had more important reasons.  Many or the Slytherins were under outside pressure t become Death Eaters.  Draco and Lucius switching sides helped give a lot of the current Slytherins the courage to do the same, but as with anything, if people tell you are something constantly, then eventually you really do become it.  

    With every one always saying how evil the Slytherins were and treating them as if they really did know every dark magic curse in the book, a lot his Slytherins saw no reason not to join the dark lord, if every one already thought they had, why not?  Severus briefly wondered what his house mate would think if they knew Harry knew more Dark arts than probably most of the Slytherins put together however he squashed the though with limited success as the image of Harry arching underneath him wandered into his mind.  Damn, if that boy was going to be forever in his head, did it really have to be that sort of image?  Severus cursed under his breath colourfully in several languages.  He had to go down and see who was in the Dorms, not sit there getting hard ons thinking about the green eyes savoir.  

    Harry slipped as quietly as possible into Dracos room.  The blond haired beauty was asleep splayed out on the double bed with his hair illuminated by the moonlight streaming through the artificial window.  Harry stood for a fraction of a second to watch his dragon sleep.  Whom ever that Ravenclaw was, he was a damn lucky guy!  

    Harry padded over to Dracos bed, taking off his shoes and cloak and top as he went.  

    "Dray."  Harry whispered softly, and then repeated, not so softly until eventually Draco woke up.  

    "Har, dear god, what time is it?"

    "Um, about three or something?"  Harry smiled as Draco gave him a half assed glare.

    "And what are you doing waking me up at this time?  I wana go back to sleep."  With that Draco closed his eyes again and buried his face into the pillow.    

    "Aw, Dray, don't be like that."  Harry whined tugging at Dracos blanket.  

    "Hey, mine!"  Draco pouted and pulled it back, covering up his bare torso once again.  Harry chuckled.  Draco always slept in either boxers or nothing, something to do with the manor being so cold in winter that he felt like it was to hot in the Slytherin rooms, and the Gryffindors.  "K, I give in. what's up?"  Draco peered out from the pillow, at Harry.

    "Nothing, I just don't wana go back to the Gryffindor dorms."  Harry grinned.

    "Fine you can stay here, but I get the right side."  Draco said, moving slightly away from the left, and closing his eye again.

    "Thanks."  Harry stripped down to his own boxers and slipped into the bed.  Draco would never stay on the right side, Harry smirked.  The Slytherin didn't really understand the word 'share'.

    "Night Har."  Dracos voice was muffled through the pillow.

    "Night Dray."  Harry closed his eyes, and moved closer to Draco, Harry thought the Blonds dorm room was freezing, no matter what Draco said, and Draco was nice and warm.

    Harry drifted off to sleep almost the moment he got into bed.  He was exhausted. 

    Severus walked to the Slytherin dorms.  The castle was infuriating him.  It seemed to be changing exactly where he wanted to go into dead ends and wrong turns.  It took him the best part of half an hour to make a journey that would usually have taken five minutes at the most.  He could almost feel the place laughing at him… Could stone laugh?  

    Severus walked into the Common room but there wasn't any one there.  He hesitated before casting a revealing charm, to see if any one 'non' Slytherin was in the rooms.  His wand tugged him to Draco's room.  He flashed panic for a moment. 

    Draco was under constant harassment from a select few individuals, the already Death Eaters, who were furious at his side swapping.  So far they had been hopeless.  They done anything except some truly pathetic tricks that made Snape ashamed to admit that some of there number were Slytherins, but the animosity was there, the sheer malevolent aura around them whenever Draco was mentioned was shocking. 

    Storming into the room he cast a lumos charm.  What he highlighted was not something he had been prepared for.  

    The yellowish light highlighted the forms of two sleeping boys, the taller was wrapped protectively around the blond.  The sheets slipped over bare shoulders and pale and tanned limbs, making it look like neither were wearing anything at all.  

    Severus dropped his wand to the floor, the light bounced and extinguished with a hiss as it left the connection to a raw power.  

    His Harry, in bed, naked with Malfoy…  

    "Missster Potter."  Severus barked out making it sound like the filthiest word that had ever passed between his lips.  Harry's eyes shot open at once.  

 ~*~*~Tbc~*~*~


	22. Sorry

**A/N:**  Mwuhuhuhu.  I liked writing the last chappy, it was well fun, this one though was a bit of a drag, don't like it so much, it doesn't 'flow' or what ever. 

Thanks to all you who reviewed, and you're all so quick too!  It's great to feel loved =)  Also a big shout out to Amanda for her lovely e-mail!

I'm not a big fan of this chappy but oh well, hopefully it'll get better. 

**_Chapter twenty two: Sorry  _**

    "Severus!"  Harry scrambled to let go of Draco who was stirring awake.

    "I am you're Professor Potter, and you will address me as such."  Severus could almost feel himself being ripped apart from the inside.  Look at what that boy, _that child_ had reduced him to.  He wanted to kill Harry, no, he wanted to kill Malfoy.  Harry was his.  But he couldn't.  He just stood there in the almost nonexistent light trying to resurrect the stone cold walls that Harry had broken down.  

    "Please Sev!"  Harry left the relative warmth of the bed, and made his way to Severus, still standing stock still at the door. "Don't do this.  It's not what it looks like!"  Harry reached out to take Severuses hand, wishing he could do anything to make this better, he knew just how proud a man Severus was.  It would be almost impossible to re-build Sev's trust if he didn't believe him.  

    "And what exactly does it look like Potter?" Severus shook Harry off.  

    Harry stood in front of him, clad in nothing but boxers and moonlight, shivering with the stone floor sending icy tendrils up from his feet.  His emerald eyes shone with the threat of tears.  

    Severus was fighting battle with himself.  He so desperately wanted to pull Harry into his arms and kiss him and tell him everything would be ok, make those tears go away.  But he had never been like that and never would be.  He never wanted to see Harry again.  He was already formulating a letter to Albus to demand he be relieved of Harrys mentoring.

    He would never have to see him again.  He broke his heart as Night Dancer, and the moment he finally let his guard down to him as Harry he hurt him in the worst way possible.  Harry could never be happy with Sev.  Harry wanted someone his own age.  Severus was nothing but a game.

    Severuses thoughts spiralled madly into self doubt.  He had let Harry make him weak.  Never again. 

    "Severus please, hear me out!"  Harry tried again to latch hold of Severus but was shaken violently off.

    "So you can tell me what?  That this was you're little initiation into Slytherin, that it was all a game and you and your little friends are killing themselves with laughter?  Spare me Potter, I really couldn't stand listening to your whiney, self important, immature voice for another moment."  Severus listened to his voice make the sounds, but he really didn't know where they came from, he was silently breaking apart.  He loved Harrys voice, the way it was so bright, but so smooth.  The way Harry knew when to be silent and when to talk, he loved when Harry talked.       

    "Sev, please, put me under Vertisirum, spell me, anything.  I swear, nothing happened between me and Draco, nothing, I didn't want to go back to Gryffindor, so I came here.  Please.  Please believe me.  Do anything, I'll prove its true."  Harry rested his fingers on Sev's jaw and pulled his face down to look at him, he searched Sev's eyes desperately looking for some sign that he was believed.  

    Severus looked back at Harry, from his mess of black hair, the legendary scar that drew your eyes straight down to gem stone eyes, and then on to beautiful ruby lips.  He wanted so badly to believe Harry, and every fibre in his core told him that Harry was telling the truth.  He said nothing, not moving, lightly breathing.   

    A searing pain shot up his forearm, just as Harry fell to the floor, clutching his head.  Severus fell with him, maintaining only the presence of mind enough to slump against the wall.  Draco shot up at once.  Snape's entrance had woken him up, but he had left Harry to work it out.  Trusting his friend knew best.

    Severus was weakly pulling himself up as Draco bent down to check on Harry.  

    "Mr Malfoy."  Severuses face was contorted with an anguished look not unlike Harry's.  "Get him to the infirmary."  Severus stood up right, leaning against the wall for support breathing hard.  Slowly inching, the black clad professor made his way to the door, stopping only to retrieve his wand.  Draco picked Harry up with some difficulty and threw a cloak over both their shoulders.  Just as Severus was out the door, Draco called to him.

    "He was telling the truth you know, he would never do that to you.  Nothing happened."  Severus gave an almost imperceptible nod and he limped out of the room.

    Harry woke up just as they were approaching the hospital ward.  

    "Sev?"  Harry called out.  

    "Nope Har, only me."  Draco said half carrying, half dragging Harry along with him.  

    "Gota get Sev." Harry insisted, pulling away from Draco.

    "No, we've got to get you to the infirmary."  Draco said again, and called out for Poppy as they reached the infirmary door.

    Harry shook off his pain induced grogginess with an ease that came of practice and ran off in the other direction.  

    "Harry!" Draco yelled and followed down the twisting stair case to the entrance Hall.

    "Sev!"  Harry yelled at the black figure that was stepping out of the front doors.  

    The hooded face turned round immediately revealing and eerily expressionless white face.  

    "Wait."  Harry ran panting up to him.  Grasping his sides.  "This is it.  He's planning his all out attack.  That's why he was summoning every one before.  Counting his numbers, organising you all.  You can't go; he'll know you're a spy."

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~

**_IMPORTANT!!!!  _**

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**_EVERYONE PLEASE READ!!!_**

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_Right, hopefully that's gotten your attention, so here's what I wanted to ask.  Every one keeps telling me that it's a pity this isn't a D/H fic.  I'm a big fan of H/D fics myself, but this really was meant to be a Harry/Sev one, so long winded story short, I'm willing to make this into H/D, if that's what every one wants, or, Ill keep going with this as a Harry/Sev, and maybe write an AU from like the end of this chappy where it's a H/D.  Sooooo, what dose every one want? Keep it as Harry/Sev, make it into Harry/Draco, or have one Harry/Sev and an AU Harry/Draco?  Thankies!_

_~flame_


	23. Heroin eyes

**A/N:**  OH MY FUCKING GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Right, I'm sorry, I just had to get that out of my system.  I got 92 reviews for the last chappy!  92!!!  You guys kick so much ass, I love every one of you, in the purely platonic sense of course.  

Well, it's unanimous!  It gets to stay a Harry/Sev fic.  I have to say I'm sooo relieved, I had no idea how the hell I was supposed to turn it into a H/D one, but I felt I should at least try if that's what you all wanted.  I am going to try an AU one after this may be but there will be no threesomes in this fic.  I think for threesomes to work, the characters would have to be different, if you know what I mean?

I would like to thank every one who reviewed, and emailed and was generally nice.  I'd also like to give a big hug to all those who came out of lurker-dom to tell me what you think, *Hugz you all* thank you, it meant a whole lot; I had no idea so many people even read this ficky.    

This Chapter is dedicated to **_EMILY_ my _300th reviewer!  _**

(My name is Emily too. V. freaky)

**_Chapter twenty three:  Heroin eyes _**

    Severus stared blankly at Harry as his mind processed the words that tripped out of the boy's mouth.  Through his mask he focused in on the seductive green eyes that reminded him so much of the Muggle drug heroin.  They could make him fly, he craved them, and he needed the fact that when he looked into them, he felt as though they needed him back.  But they could just as easily kill him, break his heart and shatter his soul, cut him off from reality and make him forget what he had done, make him forget he was a monster. 

    "Potter leave me alone."  He had to do this, maybe he could escape before the actual attack and bring Dumbledore back information, he had to at least try to make back his sins.

    His broken soul had nothing to live for any more any way.  He looked with a deep ach at Harry's pleading face, and felt that all to familiar stab of jealousy as his vision played over Draco standing protectively behind him, with a hand on Harry's right shoulder. 

    No, he had nothing to live for any more, not even his Dancer.  So what if he died?  He had no one to miss him, it was obvious Harry had someone to love him, to protect and look after him.  Severus had no one, but at least this way, maybe he could, in some small way help to protect Harry one last time.  

    Severus turned and left.  This was his penance; this was his 'time'.

    The image of his long dead sister was burned into his mind.  He had to make up for her death some how. His own life would never come close to paying her back, but maybe if he died it would be a start.  Then maybe he could do right by the only two people he had ever cared about.

    He walked out of the front doors into the night.  Keep walking, he repeated to himself as Harry's shouts followed him, flitting between calling out for the Black haired potions Master to stay and angry shouts at Draco to let go of him.  

    A single tear rolled down his cheek -hidden by the Death Eater guise- as the sky filled with snowflakes.  He would most likely not make it to December 25th, but he silently wished for a white Christmas any way.  He knew how much Harry loved the snow.

    The raven haired seeker thrashed and shouted as Draco held him back.  Harry was freezing, but however much he didn't care, Draco did.  He was still wearing nothing more than what he had been when Severus had woken them up.  The cloak had fallen to the floor when Harry had made a one eighty from the infirmary door.  And the young Slytherin was worried he would end up getting hypothermia if he ran out into the snow like that.  Not only that, but if he had understood Harry's rushed conversation with Severus then they needed to get to Dumbledore.  Draco could only hope his head of House could look after himself.  

    Severus took a deep breath as he left the relative safety of the Hogwarts wards.  Something was bothering him.  This battle should have been well known among the inner circle.  Riddle was a head case and a half, but he was as cunning as Slytherin himself, he had bidden his time, creeping in the metaphorical shadows of the wizarding world until the magical community were safely tucked up in there own self-denial and would be at their most un aware.  

    So it made no sense for him to have this battle be so hap-hazard and last minute.  Every one should have had warning.  Severus felt sick.  Every one loyal probably _was given warning.  _

    Still, he focused his thoughts on the apparition zone he was heading for.  Maybe he was just being over optimistic about Voldies intelligence, or maybe Harry was wrong, there were enough variables for him to risk it he reasoned.  So what if noun of them were all that believable?  He didn't have a death wish.  Really.  It was probably all just your average meeting.  He felt bile rise in his thought as he arrived in the dark greave yard, filled with the stench of death and the blood of people not yet -but no doubt soon to be- dead.  

    Lucius greeted him.  That alone raised Severus' panic a notch or two.  Lucius was a very high ranking Death Eater one of Voldies right hand men.  He was a spy just like Severus.  But unlike him, Lucius' loyalties had never been questioned, it was simpler for him though.  Lucius rarely reported back to Dumbledore.  Lucius' main task was covering Severus' ass.  

    "Snape, follow."  Lucius beckoned him, pulling his hood lower and slipping a tiny silver key to Sev as he ushered him forward.  Severus knew better than to question it, simply slipping the small object into the lining in his sleeve and following was the safest option.  

    Severus tried to ignore the fact that Lucius was so much like his son.  It had never bothered him before.  In fact he had even admired it.  He might not like Lucius, in honesty he despised the man, but there was a firm working relationship between them. 

    Severus hated him for being so, in his reasoning, cowardly.  Lucius was only really on the 'light' side for his son.  He didn't really care where he had his alliances as long as he was safe and very well off.  All he had to do was re-direct Snape onto missions he was better able to 'botch up' or pass on items and trivial things like that, and it basically guaranteed him a cushy life.  Draco was happy with him, Dumbledore assured him safety from annoying Auroras, and Voldemort would never bring one of his favourites up for questioning, not on such trivial grounds that were so easily denied.  

    Lucius for his part thought Severus a fool for being so 'noble'.  He was forever admonishing Severus for his morals and looking down on him.  Yet both knew what they had to do, and did it, well trained enough to be perfectly surgical about there working relationship.

    Still Severus couldn't shake the growing hatred as he found similarities between his one time lover and the boy who had taken his Harry.  

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~


	24. Won’t Sit This One Out

**A/N:**  Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How could she?!  How could sheeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   It's so not fair ***** was one of my very favourite characters.  ***** rocked, I loved them and then she went and killed them!  Well, that's it I'm going to sulk.  

Well maybe not, but it sux big time.  For all those who have read the book, do you agree with me?  It was so not fair.  For all those who haven't though I won't spoil it. (Safe to say I'm pissed off about it though)

Woohoo!  People are still reading this even though OoTP is out!  Thankies to all who reviewed its much fun to read all your comments! 

**_Chapter Twenty four:  Won't Sit This One Out_**

    Harry snarled at Draco and shook off his hold.  Out side Severus was long gone and Harry let out a bitter sob.  Draco stood, for once with nothing to say, just watching his fried grieve as if Sev was already dead.  Harry started to shiver again, the adrenalin in his blood starting to wear off as the cold sunk in.  Summoning the fallen cloak, he turned away from Draco and marched of in the direction of the headmaster's office.  Draco tried to follow but Harry wouldn't even look back at him.

    "Just go get dressed, before the sun rises we'll all probably be facing an army and it wouldn't do to have you half naked when they get here...  If any thing happens to Severus I will personally make sure you never breathe again."

    "But Harry!"  Draco called out, still Harry marched on, and still not even so much as inclining his head towards him.

    "I could have gone after him, I could have stopped him."  There was a note of pleading in his voice that made the Slytherin wonder who Harry was really trying to convince.  

    "Fine.  Be careful."  Draco called before heading off to the Dungeons to get dressed.  

    "Sure, cos we all know I'm nothing if not careful."  Harry muttered bitterly under his breath when he was sure Draco was out of earshot.  He felt guilty for lashing out at his friend, but he couldn't get the image of Severus disappearing off, out of his head.  

    Harry muttered the password to Dumbledores office (Skittles) and climbed the stairs upward, the room was empty.  No doubt the old man was asleep.  

    "'Lo Fawkes."  The phoenix raised its eyes to Harry.  "Could you get Dumbledore for me?"  The bird looked at him for a second, head tilted before disappearing with a flash.  

    Harry pulled the cloak tighter around himself and looked around the office as the paintings on the walls slept he felt an uneasy loneliness.  He had a sickening feeling.  This was the calm before the storm; the whole castle was eerily silent, so unnaturally that he could hear the faint rustling of a flying owl far outside the walls of the ancient school.  Yet some time soon had to come the storm.  

    "Ah, Harry."  The headmaster appeared with Fawkes, dressed in a long purple night gown looking out of place surrounded by images of the forefathers of Hogwarts who were dressed immaculately.

    "Professer."  Harry regarded the old man solemnly.  "The time has come, Voldemort will be attacking soon."  The change that came over the smiling demeanour was quite something.  Dumbledore pulled a quill from out of a holder and started writing notes.  Once he had finished the first one he duplicated it twice, and then started on a different one, copying that numerous times.  

    He pointed at the first two letters with his wand,

    "Head boy and girl."  As he said it the two letters dissolved down through the floor.  He turned to the much larger pile and commanded "Prefects."  

    Harry was on the verge of opening one as it flew from the pile into his hands when Dumbledore finally acknowledged he was there for the first time since he had started writing letters.  

    "You don't need to read that."

    "Oh."  Harry put the letter back onto the edge of the desk.

    "Harry, I musk ask you for all the information you can provide on the subject, and quickly."

    "Well, I don't know much."  Harry found it hard to talk to Dumbledore as the man rushed around the room, consulting charts and occasionally murmuring charms and spells under his breath.  "I don't really know how I know, it's more a feeling than any thing else.  But it's happening today, or some time soon.  That's why he risked summoning every one at once last time."

    Dumbledore stopped dead.  Harry could almost see the word passing through Dumbledore mind before he said it.

    "Severus."

    "He's gone.  I tried to talk him out of it but Se…Professor Snape wouldn't hear of it."  Harry felt an uneasy lurch in his midsection as Dumbledore levelled his gaze on him, as if assessing him from inside out.

    "Harry, get back to your dorm.  I doubt any thing will happen today, dawn is nearly here and Tom will not risk an attack by broad daylight.  We have at least until tonight before anything happens.  I pray Severus comes back before then, we need more information.  I would be rather shocked if Lucius didn't already know of this plan for quite some time.  We can only assume that Professor Snape has been found out."  Dumbledore had never looked so old to the raven haired seeker.  The worries of a war were not for a man his age, but then again, Harry thought darkly; they were not for a boy _his age either. _

    "I won't sit this one out headmaster."  Harry said as he stood at the door to the office.  He was again fixed with Dumbledore's heavy gaze.

    "No, I didn't suppose you would."  The wryness in his voice was unmistakeable. 

    "Just so long as we're clear."  Harry left stealthily making his way to his room, the last thing he heard from Dumbledore's office was Dumbledore fire talking with the remaining heads of house in hushed tones. 

    The Gryffindor common room was full of people when Harry walked into it, first years were scurrying all over the place whispering far fetched stories.  The chatter stopped for a moment as they took him in.  Barely clothed and as white as a sheet he made his way to his bushy haired friend as the babble erupted again.

    "Harry."  Hermione hissed at him, "Dumbledore has just sent all the prefects letters, we have to get all of the pupils down to the dungeons and lower levels, something's going on."  Hermione franticly gestured to the milling students, patting a first year reassuringly on the shoulder.  "Where have you been any way?  No in fact, don't answer that, just go get dressed and help me."

    "Herm, I can't, I have, stuff to do."

    "Harry James Potter, it is your duty as a prefect to help these kids.  I will not let you shirk that responsibility just because you have something on, no doubt with Draco."  Hermione clearly looked un-impressed at that idea. 

    "No, it's _important."  Herm looked at him for a couple of seconds blankly before gasping horrified. _

    "Him?"  She bit her bottom lip and looked round the room again.

    "Look, every thing should be fine, for today at least, just look after every one and keep safe."

    "Oh Harry, don't go, stay with us."  Hermione knew Harry to well to think he would be idol during the fight but she could at least try to make him see sense.

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~


	25. A Slytherins Courage

**A/N:**  I have had one hell of a time writing and re writing this chapter, over and over and over and over ect. again.  Its been driving me up the wall, but I have to put something up so this is the final draft.  It's also the longest Chapter yet I think.  

God wow, I love all you guys who reviewed!  You are all a huge inspiration I swear I would never have gotten this far with out all your encouragement.  And thanks also to the people who have pointed out plot flaws ect. I tried to have a go at covering up for some of them here, but for any that I haven't, I'm just going to claim authors licence, cos that can pretty much excuse anything!  =)

**_Chapter twenty five: A Slytherins Courage _**

    Harry just gave Hermione a look that might as well have lit up a neon "Like that's gona happen" sign above his head and made his way up to his dorm.  He threw of Draco's cloak, locked the door and set about getting on his battle robes, which, though amazingly flexible when on, were a bloody nightmare to get on.  

    It took Harry a ridiculous amount of time to get the damn thing on, he'd eventually resorted to magic, but once he had donned the black robe he instantly felt safer, somehow better protected.  He glanced at his watch; the sun had risen by now.  

    He decided to skip breakfast, where ever the hell that was being held and made his way to a sparring room Severus had taught him in last month, he could always summon Dobby if he got hungry.  He left his dorm and was halfway down the hall before he rushed back for his CD player.  He might as well have some decent music. 

    He set the CD player down, threw on a P.O.D. album and set about examining the weapons that were lined up on the wall.  Severus had equipped this room with every type of lethal instrument Harry could ever want.  The room its self was large and the floor uncluttered, there were three enchanted dummies against one wall that could fight back if you attacked them in any way, and that was about it.

    He turned the music up till he could feel it vibrating through the bamboo floor and went back to the gleaming blades.

    The first thing he spied was Godrics sword, hanging in the centre of the wall.  He tossed the sword from hand to hand for a couple of seconds bouncing from foot to foot before swinging it in an ark above his head and bringing it round in a figure of eight and launching it forward impaling the invisible foe standing before him.

    The sword might as well have been designed solely for him, it was perfectly balanced and the edge was as sharp as ever.  He buried it into a ruby encrusted sheath and moved on to a pair of daggers.  They were simple elegance, pure unadorned beauty.  Un-like the sword at his side, there were no gaudy stones donning their splendour.  They were both silver, the handles lined with gossamer threads of something Harry couldn't identify and the blades came in at about five inches each with the handles about the same.

    He strapped them to his ankles, before looking out at the expanse of empty floor.  This was it.  Soon, soon he would be out there.  He sighed, every one had known that the big all out fight would be swift, it wouldn't be very Slytherin for it to be public knowledge before hand now would it?  Harry got the feeling the fact they knew about it at least 12 hours in advance was quite miraculous.  The cold metal of the daggers in his boots comforted him somewhat.  He didn't know what he was supposed to do.  Dumbledore would no doubt be busy.  12 hours wasn't very long to raise an army, it would be surprised if they could get even half their troops in on time.

    Harry pulled out one of the daggers and examined it, there wasn't anything better to do, that unnatural calm still hung about the place and even with music blasting he felt it was too quiet.  He really couldn't do anything worthwhile in half a day.  He had to keep his mind occupied somehow, because every time it stopped, even for a split second, it became obsessed with Severus.  

    The dagger was decidedly Slytherin the Gryffindor mused, made to be concealed, not overly showy but never the less left you in no doubt that it was expensive and well crafted and to top it all of, the pair would make a lethal team.  Harry wondered why he hadn't seen them before; they seemed to fit him just as perfectly as Godric's sword did.

    The door opened, feet ghosted over the floor and settled down beside him.  The blade in Harrys right hand stopped inches away from the pale throat of the person who disturbed his musings. 

    "Bravo Har!"  Draco laughed the uncomfortable situation off, yet even to Harry the sound was strained.

    "Sorry."  Harry lowered his arm, "How'd you know I was here?"  Putting down the knife and waved his wand in the general direction of the CD player silencing it. 

    "Well, looked every where else almost, you know you have a lot of favourite places in this castle, its very confusing, why can't you just be predictable."  The light teasing served only to take the edge of the creeping feeling in Harry.

    "Oh, ever so sorry, your highness, I will from now on never leave the Gryffindor commonroom." 

    "Quite so."  They sat in silence for what felt like an eternity before Draco hesitantly started to speak.  "My, my father contacted me."

    Harry tensed a fraction but forced himself to relax for Draco's sake.

    "What did he say?"

    "That I should get out of here.  He sent me a Portkey and all."  Draco held up a necklace, a tiny Vipertooth dragon hung on the end of the silver chain.  

    "It's nice."  Was all Harry could think to say.  He knew Draco, he loved Draco like a brother, he wouldn't leave, but the growing fear that he could lose another person so important to him was making him visibly shake.   He gripped white knuckled at one of the daggers to calm himself.

    "Yeah," Draco sounded wistful, "There the fastest Dragon, they could out fly anything I bet.  I had one you know."  Draco turned to look at Harry with shining eyes.

    "No, you've never told me."

    "Oh.  I got him when I was four, and I even helped rear him. They are really vicious in the wild, but Sagitta looked after me.  He was like my best friend growing up, but when I got to Hogwarts I was never aloud to see him again, my Dad thought it was too much of a risk.  That's why I was so jealous of Hagrids dragon."  Draco looked pained for a few minutes before shaking it off.  "Any way, he told me about Severus too."  Harry immediately perked up.

    "What about him?"

    "Well, not much, but apparently Voldemort never really believed that he'd gone back to their side properly, and so he is going to lock Severus up making some really complicated potion whilst every one is fighting because he needs a good potions master and do you have any idea how few of those there are?"

    "But how the hell is that supposed to work?"  Harry howled.

    "Severus was not supposed to know anything about the big show down, he is just going to think it's a normal Voldemort Hissy fit and stay there and finish the potion.  But that time most likely one side will have won.  If it's the 'dark' side then Voldemorts banking on Severus seeing the error of his ways and staying with him, if it's the light side then the Professor will be left in there to die of, well, starvation I suppose."  Draco shifted uncomfortably, "But my father gave him the key to his cell door so he'll be fine."

    The statement didn't easy Harry's nerves; in fact they made him feel down right sick.  How what Severus supposed to get out of the dark Lords head quarters when he was being suspected of being a traitor?

    "Here Harry, take this."  Draco handed over the tiny Dragon.  "It takes you to a little café bar type thing in Hogsmeade, all you have to do is stroke its back to activate it.  If things get, well, you know, you'll have a way out at least."  

    "Hey, bro, you should do what your father said, it's not going to be pretty here.  I'll be ok."

    "No way Harry, you guys are going to need all the help you can get, and besides that, my boy is here, I not going to leave him, or you so you're stuck with me and I would feel better knowing that you had a fail safe.  I know you've got to play the hero, but, well It cant hurt to have a way out." Harry looked at the little flapping beast before fastening it round his neck.

    "Thank you."  His voice was quiet and liable to break at any moment.  Draco was putting on a happy smile as if it would stop what was to come.  He got up and dusted himself down and Harry did the same.

    "I'm going down to the dungeons to see him."  

    "Aren't you ever going to tell me who he is?"  Harry stole one of Draco's pouts.

    "I'll tell you tomorrow."  Draco said with confidence.  "You'll just have to tell Voldemort to bog off because your so curious as to who I'm Buggering!"  Draco grinned, and enveloped Harry in a fierce hug, clinging to the other like a lifeline he eventually pulled back and kissed Harry gently, just ever so slightly brushing their lips together, there was nothing behind it, he just wanted Harry to know he was still loved.  Draco tried to swallow the creeping feeling that this might be the last day they ever saw each other again.  

    "Fine, but you had better tell me and not just doge the question like you usually do."  Harry managed a weak smile and Draco nodded.  

    Slytherins pale Prince turned and left, the silken material of his robes swished and lightly caressed the floor as he walked light-footed and graceful. 

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~


	26. Earning Your Rep

**A/N:** Ok, Ok, plz don't kill me for how late this is.  And the fact that it's so short (only about half what I usually try to write)  I'm really really sorry, but hay, on the plus side it's the holiday so I'll maybe have more time to write and chill out!  Woohoo, thank fuck, it has been to long coming as far as I'm concerned, who's with me?

Oh ok, this chappy is probably the last one before the fighting really starts, so it should start to get a little bit more interesting after this.  I'm also contemplating on having a character death.  Maybe not Harry, but some one, just to liven it up a bit.  Any one have any thoughts?  I'm not sure who it will be yet, but I promise that it probably maybe won't be Harry.  

**_Chapter twenty six:  Earning Your Rep _**

    Harry wandered down the halls.  Dusk would soon be approaching and he hadn't seen Albus since early in the morning.  He had had quite a day.  Harry had never really given a thought to it. What, if you only had one day left to live?  What would you do?  He supposed, had someone asked him that in first year, he would have said flying, or chilling with Hermione and Ron.  If someone had asked him yesterday, he would probably have said with Severus.  But Severus wasn't there, Hermione and Ron were looking after the younger years and he reckoned he had a pretty good idea as to what Draco was _doing.  _

    He had spent about an hour listening to music, and musing over his new weapons aimlessly after Draco had left, but soon got restless and had found something far more interesting.  

    It wasn't a reassuring thought, knowing that in less than half a day you could very well be dead.  Harry decided that every one should get to do what they want for their final day and with that, he transfigured his clothes to look a little less conspectus and headed off to the Astronomy tower.  He gave himself three hours before he had to come back.  Harry pulled out the pocket watch and clearly stated the time and place he wanted.  

    The lights pulsed and the music screamed as Harry walked in the entrance of The Spark.  Breathing deeply he absorbed the relaxed attitudes of the crowd before shrugging off this cloak and stepping out onto the dance floor.  

    He smirked knowing exactly what song was coming on next.  He moved round the floor to get a clear look at the door.  He would enter in a few hours through that same door.  This was the night he first met Severus and screwed up the timeline, and in the process found himself a sweet caring lover for whom he would give any thing for.  

    From the door is line of sight came to the brooding boy in a heavy cloak nursing a drink at the bar.  Feeling his heart rate quicken as those obsidian eyes rest on him, he didn't return the look or even show any signs of noticing it.  Harry concentrated on swinging his hips, moving them hypnotically to the rhythm, his whole body soon following in the erotic display in the centre of the floor.  He paid no heed to the wolf whistles that came from a group of girls across the bar, or the man trying to catch his eye, all his did was dance, he did after all have a reputation to make, Severus obviously hadn't spent half his life calling him 'Night dancer' for nothing.

    He moved like a predator, hungry and half wild, his breathing erratic and rugged, sweat glistening on his skin, the emerald shirt riding up his torso whilst his hair half hid his features, and obscured his scar and darkening his face.    

    Not once did he give any indication that he felt the smouldering gaze Severus was boring into him, with all his will power he forced himself to turn away from the barely concealed lust held deep in the Slytherin eyes and keep up his dancing.  

    Severus eventually turned back to his drink and Harry started to dance with a tall blond to his left, slowing his pace just a little.  

    Harry glanced worriedly at the door to the club as it swung open.  He had maybe about ten fifteen minutes before himself walked in.  The barely legal Severus had glanced over at him again every so often, but as Harry had never returned his gaze Severus stopped.  

    Sev probably thought he was a bit of an exhibitionist Harry thought with a self satisfied smirk.  No wonder he had been reluctant to except the drink Harry had offered him when they had first met.  

    Harry threw back on his clock from where it had thoughtfully been hung up in the cloak room, and making sure no one was there whispered the pass word to the liquid gold surface for the time device as he felt the familiar sensation of travelling through time.     

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~


	27. Oddness

**A/N:**  again, nothing really happens here.  I tried, I really did, but it got to over 1,400 words so I just decided to make it into two chapters so this one is just sort of setting it up.

Jezz, thanks for the reviews guys, I was sooo happy that people are still reading this even though its all wrong not OoTP is out!  *hugz you all* you guys are the best, you make writing worthwhile.   

**WARNING!** K, this is important, I'm going to use a location from OoTP in this and chapters to come.  It's not a big spoiler, finding out what one room can do will not ruin the book for you but I thought I'd warn you anyway.  I honestly don't think it's going to hurt if you haven't read the books but are planning to, still I'm warning you anyways.  

This Chapter is dedicated to**_ auroracat _**my _400th reviewer!_

**_Chapter twenty seven: Oddness _**

    Harry swore furiously as he landed hard on the ground.  He should have returned to the astronomy tower, yet looking around, he had landed in a deserted class room (at least six feet above the floor too).  A sinking feeling took rent in his insides, what would force the castle to re-arrange its self so dramatically?

    He sprinted off in search of the tower, he had left his weapons behind there and decided that his best bet was to find them first, and then go looking for Dumbledore and get some answers about Severus second.  If the Slytherin wasn't back in an hour, Harry was hell bent on going after him.

    The rational part of Harry's mind, -that sounded disturbingly like a familiar Potions Master- reasoned that Severus was a big Death Eater now and would be able to look after himself.  Lucius had provided him with a way out and everything, but it didn't still Harry's nerves or make him any more forgiving of Dumbledore for letting keep spying.

    Twenty minutes of searching and Harry finally made his way to the tower, with a little help from some passing ghosts, who, apart from giving him directions were keeping tight lipped.  There had been no students on his travels either, a disturbing thought in its self.  Hogwarts was a school for god's sake, even in its quietist moments it had never been this deserted; it should be full of life, yet all the life he had come across was an alarming number of ghosts, it was really getting on Harrys nerves not being able to find any thing or any one.  

    After grabbing his 'arsenal' Harry headed to Dumbledores office.  He was slowly getting an idea of the new lay out.  He recognised which painting guarded where and found the headmasters office with relative ease but the growing frustration at not knowing what was going on was getting worse. 

    The office was completely deserted, the Headmaster was no where in sight, the paintings on the walls all stood empty and Fawks' perch was abandoned.  A glass decanter shattered.  Harry was not in the least pleased. 

    A snarling Harry Potter stalked down to the lower levels, hoping to find the headmaster there.  He had been gone for three freaking hours, THREE, and this is what he came back to.  Someone could have had the decency to leave him a note at least, he was supposed to be the bloody figure head to this whole thing, it would have been nice if some one had bothered about him.    

    "Oh Harry!"  Before the green eyed Gryffindor could register anything he found himself in a bone crushing hug curtsey of Hermione.  "We were so worried, we wanted to come looking for you."  

    "Yeah mate, we really did, but we gota guard the halls to the younger years rooms."  Ron looked genuinely sorry.

    "It's ok."  Harry said his anger dissipating with the presence of his friends.  "I have to find Dumbledore though."  Harry looked past them down the hall but saw nothing but a dead end.   

    "I don't think he's down here, we haven't seen him, but you can go have a look."  Hermione still looked worried; Harry knew she was well apprised of his role in this war, he also knew she hated it.  Ron knew too that Harry would be fighting on the front line; however his unwavering faith in Harry's abilities never left for any doubt he would come back as anything but 100% fine.  

    "Um, it's a dead end."  He pointed out helpfully, gesturing down the hall.  Ron offered a strained smile before shouting to the wall a string of words in stuttering French.  The wall parted and a bustling common room came into view.  Harry recognised a lot of the people inside, but some he had never seen before in his life.

    "Well, I'll see you soon."  He was pulled into another hug from the bushy haired witch, who by now looked on the verge of tears, and then into an awkward embrace with Ron, who wasn't looking much better.  

    Harry let go of the red head and bounded into the common room, his irritation at Dumbledore growing again.  

    It proved pointless; there was neither hide nor hair of the aged wizard anywhere in the common room either.

    "Harry!" Whirling round Harry saw Draco rushing towards him looking flustered and jumpy.  

    "Hey, have you seen Dumbledore?"  Harry asked automatically, they were the only words that had left his mouth in the last half hour and he was still no where closer to finding him.  

    "No."

    "Oh, ok, I've got to go find him."

    "Harry, what's the password to Dumbledores office?"  Draco was almost bouncing up and down, as if he was gearing himself up. 

    "Why? He's not there."  Harry eyed him questioningly. 

    "Do you trust me?" 

    "Yes, that's a stupid question; I'd trust you with my life."

    "Then please tell me the pass word, it's important."

    "Skittles."  

    "You know Harry; I think you're turning me into a fucking Gryffindor, stupidly brave by association or something.  Thanks."  With that Draco ran off in the direction of the hall way, leaving Harry reeling after one of the most surreal conversations he'd had all year, it wasn't about to get any better.

    "Arry!"  Harry once again turned to see who was talking to him.  His jaw nearly dropped when he found Fleur Delacour in front of him.  

    "Fleur?"  He asked uncertainly, "what are you doing here?"

    "I was asked by zie 'eadmaster to 'elp look after zie younger years at ''Ogwarts, Madame Maxime brought me with 'er 'erslef."

    "Oh."

    "Kurm is 'ear also, we came with zie teachers from our old schools, because of 'e-'ho-must-be-named."  Fleur's face darkened.

    "Do you know where headmaster Dumbledore is?"  Harry asked hopefully. 

    "No, Madame Regnier might be able to 'epl 'ou though."  Fleur pointed at a woman who was currently trying to break up a scuffle.  "C'est Beauxbatons Defence-Against-Zie-Dark-Arts teacher."  Fleur regarded Harry fondly.  "It was good to ze 'ou again Arry."

    "You to Fleur, look after yourself." With that Harry rushed off.  A small part of him noted, though he still found the half Veela beautiful, his attraction to her was not on the same lines as it had been in his fourth year when he was around here.  

    The Beauxbatons Defence teacher looked to be a surly woman, somewhat akin to Severus Harry thought with at twang.  

    "Hello, Madame Regnier?"  He approached her as the third year she had been berating sulked off.  

    "Yes."  She looked up at him sharply.  

    "I'm looking for Dumbledore."  Harry stated taking the no-nonsense approach.

    "And who are you?"  She said, watching him with a calculated gaze.

    "Not that it matters, but I'm Harry Potter, do you know where he is?"  The woman was in her mid thirties, her hair short and every thing about her business like.  

    "Oh, I didn't realise you had left school already."  The comment shocked him a little, but he wasn't totally surprised.  His class mates were all hovering around, looking frightened, some were in tears, others furious and all of them looking almost small and lost in their school uniforms.  In contrast he was walking around demanding explanations of teachers dressed in battle robes.  It served as a reminder of how much older in mind he was to his friends, however much he loved them, he was very different and the thought was a sad one. 

    "No I haven't.  I need to find Albus though, now."  

    "He is in the Room of Requirement."  Being treated as an equal by a Teacher was an odd occurrence for Harry, but he found he liked it a lot.  "Do you know where that is?" 

    "Yes, I've trained there."

    "Good.  Well he should be there, every one is gathering there, he will be at the end closest to the inside door."  Harry nodded and set off at a sprint to the room in question.  Wondering why on earth she would tell him what side of the room Dumbledore was on, and more to the point, how in the world she would know about a room that -as far as he knew- was only known about by four people in the castle, namely him, Albus, McGonagall and Severus.  Harry's heart leapt, she had said every one, so perhaps Dumbledore, McGonagall _and Severus were already there.  At the thought of Severus being back Harry picked up his pace a notch.  _

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~


	28. Oddness Explained

**A/N:**  Oh well, yes I got with the fighting, but it ran on into a double chapter as it was so yes, this is a cliffy!  But It answers all the oddness.  A lot of you seemed a bit confused but that was the point of the last chappy, it should be explained now, if not I put up a summary at the end =)  

K, someone pointed out that this is getting a bit long.  Yep, I know, it was never meant to be this long, it was supposed to be about 15 chapters, but that Idea went out the window.  I have it all planed out now though, all written down and decided, there will be two more chapters and an epilogue after this chappy.  I will be so sad to see this fic go, but I am getting bored of it anyway!

Thank you to all who reviewed, and are still reading this.  

**_Chapter twenty eight: Oddness Explained_**

    Harry gasped as the door to the Room of Requirement swung open.  This was the reason the castle had re-arranged so much, this room, that had once passed for a broom closet was now huge, Harry bet it was at least ten times the size of the great Hall with room to spare, it must have been the whole of the first floor of Hogwarts, at the least.

    Along the two side walls were fireplaces people were flooing into, there were swirling portholes and vortexes depositing, people among other things, on the floor.  At the far end of the room was a fifty foot archway that lead onto the grounds, but the most amazing thing was what was filling the room.  The biggest assortment of creatures Harry had ever seen in his life.

    There was a group of about five hundred elves clad in midnight blue baring Bows and arrows lined up about twenty meters from where he stood, there were six giants propped up against one wall fast asleep, a huge crowd of Vampires were darkening one corner, Veelas standing opposite them, Auroras were working in groups to sort the incoming people and there were even some Hogwarts professors helping out.  There was a group of shape shifters going through drills and winged creatures Harry couldn't even name, actually there were quite a few things Harry couldn't even name.

    After what felt like hours of searching Harry found the familiar lime green and purple robes that just screamed Albus.  

    "Ah, Harry my boy."  There was something sad in the old mans voice that Harry couldn't help but pity.  "I will be with you in a matter of moments."  Albus turned around to talk to a group of elves. These however didn't carry bows, but sparkling violet spheres.  The lead elf bowed his head, turned, and began talking to the rest of his group. The headmaster turned back to Harry.

    "I sent someone out looking for you, but as I'm sure you noticed, they did not find you."  The headmaster smiled at Harry, the twinkle in his eyes dimmed but not gone.

    "I, I had something I needed to do." Harry shuffled his feet a little; he didn't know people had been looking for him. 

    "Never mind my boy; I am glad you are here now."

    "Have you seen Severus?"  Harry asked hopefully.  "I, I, I mean Professor Snape?"

    "No, I was hoping you would have.  However Lucius has promised me that he has provided Severus with a means to get to Malfoy Manor.  I don't trust that man with much, but I know he still has a weak spot for Severus.  I trust he is safe."  Even with saying it Harry could hear a grim resignation in his voice.  Dumbledore motioned for him to follow as they weaved in and out of the groups of creatures filling the hall.

    "Sir, If you don't mind me asking, what are the Triwizard Champions doing at Hogwarts, it's a little, well odd."

    "They are here with there schools teachers.  Most of the Hogwarts teachers are deeply entrenched in helping me with the resistance and will be needed on the field, but I still need people to look after the younger years, so called in some favours from contacts at other schools.  Miss. Delacour and Mr. Kurm are also here, they proved themselves to be exceptional wizards when the Goblet of Fire chose them, they will be able to help," Dumbledore looked slightly regretful, "they will give the children hope as well, to see people their brothers and sisters and friends have talked about fighting Dragons and sea creatures defending them."  

    Harry swallowed hard.  So Fleur and Viktor were being used just like he was, as a figure head, to inspire people, no matter what the danger. 

    "Come now, there is much to do."   

    They spent hours talking to different groups, slowly but surely Harry was getting an idea of what all of them could do.  The elementals had fascinated him.  A group of twelve males and females dressed from head to toe in white satin stood in a circle chanting with there palms toward the circles centre.

    "What are they doing?" 

    "Ah well, they are summoning a storm."  

    "What for?"  Harry got the impression it wasn't for dramatic feeling, but he would never put it past the old man.

    "It will make it extremely difficult for any of Voldemorts supporters to fly here, or away from here, unfortunately it seems Tom has a group of apposing elementals working to keep the weather clear, it is a battle of wills between the two."  Harry just nodded, noticing the look of pure concentration on the faces of each of the Elementals.

    And hour after sun set Falwks smashed through the glass on the archway at the other end of the room and let out a piercing note that carried through the whole of Hogwarts.  The race was on.  

    The Vampires went out first, concealed in the shadows, ready to attack, the violet orb toting elves next , and so on until eventually every one was in there place.  Harry standing on the front line at Dumbledores right hand side, a position Harry was all too aware should have been Severuses.  His heart returned once more to the sinister black eyed man that he had fallen in love with before he pushed all thoughts aside and focused on the incoming wave of attackers. 

    He reached for his wand first, a Wizards strongest weapon.  Every one fanned out as they met head on with Voldemorts minions.  Harry blocked his first curse as The Elementals finally won and rain came down in heavy sheets, to late to be of use.

    A hand grabbed him from behind and pulled at his neck, Harry felt hot breath on his neck, apparently Dumbledore wasn't the only one in contact with Vampires.  Harry threw his weight back toppling them both to the ground.  He heard a sickening crack as the Vampires head split on the hard stone underneath.  Pulling himself away he attacked a Death Eater with an unforgivable, feeling a morbid satisfaction as he fell to the ground screaming.  There was a shout somewhere to his left and he dodged just in time to feel the remnants of a spell slice three cuts into his side.  The man he was holding under crutico was realised, but lay on the ground shaking as his friend attacked Harry, the duel was quick, Harry won, the cuts in his side bleeding still though.  

    It felt like hours, but could have only been at the most ten minuets before Harry felt a cold rush flood him, clawing him down into the crimson stained mud from blood that had already been spilled some of it his.  There was a group of Dementors surrounding him, there rattling breath lost in the chaos but noun the less effective.  Screams filled his head, images he tried to shake, his mother, Cedric, the face of his first kill all pulling the breath out of him.

    He closed his eyes.  He had to focus.

_"No, not Harry, please, not Harry."_

    Happy thoughts, Graduating, flying, Christmas, Draco. "Expecto."

_"Kill The spare."_

    His first kiss, Dancing, Winning the house cup.  "Expec…Expecto Pat."

_"I'm so sorry, Id didn't mean it, please don't be dead, It wasn't me, I couldn't help it."_

    Severus, Severus, the way his top lip curled instead of an actual smile, his dryer the stone sense of humour the way he kissed, his hands...  "Expecto Patronum!"  A brilliant white stag erupted from his wand, and the cold sinking feeling lifted as the Dementors shied away.  

    An Elf ran up next to him, he looked terrible, blood soaked his hair and a wound was bleeding heavily from his left arm.  He said something in a language Harry couldn't understand and threw something at the main clump of Death eaters.  The ball expanded into a huge glowing purple bubble and trapped the Dementors inside.  A second Elf fired an arrow into it, bursting the bubble with a bang.  As the light disintegrated all that was left of the Dementors was a soldering pile of ash.  Harry looked round but the Elves were gone.  

    Pain stabbed through his leg, a black dart was buried in his calf.  Looking round to find the person or thing responsible, the battle around him dimmed, his sight fading as ice cold poison leaked into his blood stream.  Everything became fuzzy, faint glowing lights became the only way to tell things apart.  

    Breathing fast he cast a shielding charm, and yanked the dart from his leg.  He felt something blast against the shield repeatedly.  Harry fell to his knees as a fifth blast just barely missed him, another hit and he was done for.  He couldn't even see to fight back.

    His fission was filed with a yellow light, and immense heat.  A hand pulled him roughly up into the air and clawed onto him for dear life.  

    "Fuck Harry, what the hell is wrong with you."  The wind howled in his ears and he could tell he was along way from the ground but he had never been so happy to hear that voice. 

    "Draco, I can't see!" He shouted, as strong hands hoisted him up onto the back of something very much alive and flying.  

    "In my robe pocket."  Draco yelled, "there is a poison detoxer, grab it."  Harry felt around Draco for a moment before delving into a pocket and finding a set of bottles.

    "Which one?"  He felt his 'ride' lurch forward and he gripped for his dear life to Draco, finding no purchase on the leathery hide of whatever he was sitting on.  

    "The small square one."  Harry downed the bottle and his vision slowly cleared up.

    "A Dragon Malfoy, a FUCKING Dragon!"  

    "Harry, meet Sagitta my dragon."

    "You're insane Draco."

    "I know."  With that Draco pulled at a bridal and the dragon plummeted, blazing a trail of fire through a group of Voldemorts Vampires.

    "How the hell did you get her?"

    "I used the Floo in Dumledores office, my father owled to say that Severus was at the manor, so I went and got him and I found out if Sagitta would still let me fly her."  They made a sharp right to doge a stunning spell.

    "She could have killed you!  It was too dangerous to see her after a term of being away.  You hadn't seen her is six bloody years!" 

    "Yeah well, I think I've earned my Gryffindor stripes.  I'm going to put you down here, I left Severus over there." Draco pointed a little way off and flew close to the ground.  "You're going to have to jump."

    "What?"

    "Jump!"  Draco yelled, Harry dropped and rolled as a huge winged bird came up hot on Dracos tale.  Harry saw Draco loop three times before turning his attention to the fight going on around him.

    Three vampires, six Death Eaters, and several other nameless things later Harry was still holding his own, his wand was safely tucked away in his sleeve and his sword had come into play, slicing anything that came to close.  

    "Well, my little lightning, you are looking well considering."  A hard smile spread across Harrys lips.  Finally, he would kill or get killed, anything to get out of this goddamned bloodbath. 

~*~*~Tbc~*~*~

OK, for any one who didn't get that, the Castle changed so much because it had to adjust for the size of the Room of Requirement.  Fleur was there to look after the Hogwarts students and make them feel safe, and Draco wanted the password to Dumbledores office so he could Floo to the manor to find out if Sagitta was still tame enough to fly, and he flew back on her, taking Severus with him.  

C ya all in Chappy 29 hopefully.


	29. Please Don’t Be Mad

**A/N:**  OK, Ladies and Gentlemen and South American Bullfrogs, this is chappy 29, re-done and made good by ODMonkey.  She is a brilliant writer, you should cheek out her hilarious Lord of the Rings/Redwall story and there's a brilliant Jack/Will Pirates of the Caribbean song fic she did that's great too, I love it, and she has some Zelda and Aliens fics, and well, they all rock, and if you are looking for something to make you laugh your ass off, or just some really well written storeys, you should check out her work. 

While I'm at it, you should go look at fodmonkey too, she is a **really** good writer as well, she has this really good Harry/Ginny story that she needs to finish!  And go read and review a-broken-heart-still-beats, she is brill, her new story A Decision Of The Heart rox, it's a Ginny/Draco with Bad!Harry in it, much goodness.  You can find them all on my favourites and are well worth the read. 

Any way, on with the show, and once again, HUGE thank you, to OD Monkey for making this readable, you kick ass.   

**_Chapter twenty nine:  Please Don't Be Mad _**

    "I'm not your anything Tom."  Harry turned to face the snake figure, feeling his skin crawl at the sight of familiar emotionless red eyes.

    "Aw, but I think Lightning suites you."  Voldemort mocked cackling softly.  "Ah, but alas, for the first time in your pathetic life you are right.  You are nothing to me.  You're not my downfall, you're not my rival, and you're certainly not my equal.  So why bother with this charade?  Join me.  I will give you one last chance."  Harry couldn't place the look on the serpentine features.  He was certain it was not emotion.  He doubted The Great Dark Lord could feel any thing but pissed off, yet there was a sort of _dull curiosity in the features? _

    "Oh hey!  Wadda you know, I'm not your equal.  Something we both agree on. I'm stronger than you will ever be."  Harry planted his feet firmer on the ground holding his sword out in front of him.  Rain poured down his back, obscured his vision and froze him to the core, but he made no sign of noticing it, for in honesty, he hadn't. He was far more interested in the drenched enigma in front of him.   

    "So brave Harry.  But you didn't answer my question."

    "That's because it is nothing but a mockery Riddle.  No.  Your answer is no.  I would never lower myself to that level."

    "It's a pity.  We would have done well together."  Oh yes, Harry thought with quiet sarcasm, you do sound ever so sorry about it.

    "Put that sword away. I will not fight a self respecting wizard with muggle weapons."  Harry raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly as he dropped the sword, storing a fragment of a thought in the back of his mind for later use.  He pulled his wand from out of his sleeve, holly, eleven inches, containing a single feather from the tail of a phoenix, a most… curious wand indeed.  

    Harry was beyond felling scared.  He was beyond the searing pain that sliced through his forehead from his scar.  He was sick of it all.  Too much had happened in his life.  Too many people had died.  Riddle had taken to many lives.   

    He almost felt indestructible, like the fact that he didn't care whether he lived or died gave him a sort of impenetrable shield.  Whether he lived or died, he would still win.  

    Voldemort looked at him with cold eyes, tuning out the background noise, the screams and the curses and the cackles and everything in-between.  Now or never.

    They bowed and took up their stances, Harry with cold fury running in his veins, Voldemort with cold indifference.  Voldemort blinked; Harry struggled to stay standing as pain lanced up his leg where the spell hit.  He threw back a curse that left Voldemort with lacerations all over his body.  The battle dragged on inside the short time, sometimes Harry dodged or could throw up a shield, but not always, and he was getting worn down.  Despite the agony, despite the weariness pervading his body, he fought on.  Voldemort, though supposedly the better wizard, was in a no better state.

    Harry heard a shout come form behind him.  However so did Voldemort.  They both turned to look round and Harry gasped.  Severus, his Severus was standing surrounded by a group of Dumbledore's Vampires who were currently defending him from the onslaught of Death Eaters that were surrounding them.  

    His gaze locked on Severus' obsidian eyes, they looked like they were willing him to pay attention as they so often had in his lessons.  Harry felt the hot rush of tears, but these were happy tears.  Even though Draco had said he was ok, Harry wouldn't have believed it had he not seen it with his own eyes, his lover was alive, and relatively un-harmed.  

    Time seemed to slow down, in truth it must have been no more than a blink of an eye.  Severus reached into his robes and pulled out one of the two bottles he had left, that nice little explosion inducing liquid.  At the same moment Harry heard an inhuman cackling come from the mouth of his almost forgotten enemy.  

    Severus threw the potion at his Lord.  The bottle sailed in a graceful arc as did his Lord's wand.  A blinding flash of white light knocked Severus to the ground, he lay motionless, defeated.  For a second the scene was mirrored out in emerald eyes. 

    Harry turned abruptly to the laughing form of his opponent.  The tiny bottle landed with a crash at Voldemort's feet before discharging with a blast that rocked the air, throwing Tom Riddle to the ground.  The flash was like lightning, loud and bright.

    Harry was the first to regain his wits.  He reached to draw Gryffindor's sword and cursed when he saw it lying of the floor out of reach.  

    Shit Shit Shit, Harry mentally swore, he reached down to where the daggers were hidden in his boots, with the sword beyond him they would have to do.  Voldemort had seemed reluctant to go up against a sword, as if he was vulnerable to physical harm more than magical.  By now Voldemort was stirring, trying to pull himself upright.  Blood dripped from every gash on Riddle's body.   

    Harry stood over him, pained but determined, he raised the daggers.  The blades mirrored his slight, triumphant smile.  Deep into the heart of the one who harmed his lover the blades fell.  Voldemort coughed, claret spilling from his half open mouth.  

    "Congratulations Harry, you lived. Again.  Pity your whore won't."  With that Voldemort's eyes clouded over and his body fell limp.  

    "No!"  Harry screamed, "No, not dead, not dead, he's not dead you bastard, he's not!"  Blood slicked Harry's palms as he shook the prone body.  He pulled out the daggers and launched into a volley of kicks and blows that pulled him down a path toward where Severus was lying, protected by vampires.  

    "Severus."  Harry dropped to his knees whispering to the body on the ground.  His eyes were closed and his hair was matted with dirt and blood.  "Love, please, open your eyes, it's me.  It's Harry.  Severus please.  Don't be mad, we won.  Everything's ok, you can wake up now."  Severus didn't move his pale face looked almost peaceful in the surrounding chaos.  Harry cradled Severus' head rocking back and forth talking incessantly.  "The last time I saw you, you were mad at me.  Have you forgiven me?  Please don't be mad Sev, I didn't do anything.  Please, stop being mad at me, wake up.  I promise I'll do what ever you want me to if you'll just open your eyes, I'll even train in potions Sev, I'll do anything, just please open your eyes and forgive me."

~*~*~*~Tbc~*~*~*~ 

Oh don't kill me, please don't kill me!       


	30. Harry Potter, the Gay Robin Hood

**A/N:**  Oh my god, it's been a while, six weeks to be exact. I have to say sorry to every one, I **_really Really_** didn't mean for it to take this long, I just got writers block, and then went back to school, and then did my Duke of Edinburgh, and it just all built up till I was dreading checking my email because of the reviews that asked me to hurry up, that would then prompt me to sit staring at my keyboard for half an hour before an over whelming guilty feeling engulfed me as I headed off to MSN or somewhere that was equally  not a Word program and promised to get on with it tomorrow. 

I have like lots to say in this authors note so I'll be quick (yeah right), or this will be longer than the chappy.

People were commenting that the last chapter was not up to scratch.  I whole heartedly agree, and I was actually happy that people pointed it out, cos I know I'm crappy at writing fight seens and it's nice to know people know my work well enough to know my weak and strong points.  We my friend **ODMonkey** went over it, and fixed it, she is an amazing writer, so its a lot better, I have re-posted chapter 29 with all her alterations if you want to go back and read it, its not essential to the plot but the chapter is sooo much better after she went over it, so I would recommend it.

Also, I would like to thank Rowaine GJB,  Yesterday morning I went to look at my email, with a certain feeling of trepidation and there was your review, I nervously opened it and after reading it, I sat gawping for several minutes, had it really been 6 weeks?  I don't know what it was about your review that set me into a panic, thus creating this chapter, but it did, so it's dedicated to you, because it would have undoubtedly taken another six weeks if you hadn't pointed out how long it was ago that the last chappy was posted.  

That's sort of it I think, I'm not happy really with this chapter, but I rarely am, I like the Draco in it though, its also a double chapter, as a sort of thank you for all of you who have waited patently or not so patently for so long for me to get off my ass and give this an ending I love you all.     

**_Chapter thirty:  Harry Potter, the Gay Robin Hood _**

    Harry watched Severus stir, encased in white linen and as pale as always, a stark contrast to the two healing marks on his neck.  Harry had spent the last four days by Sev's bedside, even Poppy couldn't convince him to move.  He daren't leave, even sleeping seemed like a bad idea, he was frightened, worried that his lover would never wake up.

~*~flashback~*~

    "Harry, we have to get out of here!"  One of the vampire elders yelled at him as he clung to his lover.  

    "No, what if he is hurt, what if it's dangerous to move him?"  Harry had heard that in a Muggle movie once, what if it hurt Sev more to move him?

    "Harry, you have just killed their leader, every being serving under him is going mad Harry, the smart ones are retreating, but the others, now they are not under rule are just rampaging, it's safer in the castle.  It will be fine to move him."

    "How do you know?"

    "Because, I have come across that curse in my life time-"  the vampire cut off, slamming the palm of his hand into the face of a veela, who to Harry looked wild, and a little more than slightly insane, "-it's a slow acting poison, it attacks him through his blood, I can help-"  again the vampire turned away this time to behead a vampire with a smooth ark of his axe, "-but we _have to get inside!"_

~*~End Flashback~*~

    So that had been it, Coal, as the vampire had later introduced himself as had drained the toxins out of Sev's system, and here he was, lying paler than ever on white sheets.  The only time Harry had even said more than three words at a time was when Draco had come in to introduce Terry (his new boyfriend as promised) and even then he had hardily taken his eyes off of his lover. 

    "Harry!"  Harry made a sort of grunt in response to Draco as the blond walked through the door.  

    "Harry, get your ass out of this room, take a shower, get some food for gods sake, just for an hour or so, Severus will be fine, he just needs his rest."

    "But what if he wakes up and I'm not here?"

    "Oh I don't know, he might go on living I suppose. There is always the chance he will spontaneously combust, whilst humming the theme tune to 'Doctor Who' though, which is a far more likely thing to happen if you're not here to stop it."  Harry shot Draco his most venomous look, but Draco shrugged it off, he was not about to be glared down by any one, not even his best friend.  

    "Fine, fine, I'll go shower and grab some sleep, but I will be back here in a couple of hours, call me if he wakes." Harry got up from the chair stiffly.  He looked down once again at his ashen faced lover and bent down and kissed him lightly on the forehead, brushing his hands through Sev's dark locks.

    "Oh for the love of Merlin, you are only going for a couple of hours, no need to be so melodramatic."  Draco's voice cut through the tender moment, "Go!  Get washed, you are all dirty and smelly."   Harry laughed remembering Draco fussing with his shirt the morning after he had time travelled.  That seemed like so long ago, it was reassuring to know his friend hadn't given up on his ideals. 

    "I'm going already.  See, whiteness me leaving."  Harry walked out of the door, his last thoughts were how the hell Draco knew about Dr. Who.

    Harrys' spell cast alarm screeched, pulling him from the comfortable warmth of unconsciousness.  Glancing at the clock on the wall he swore.  He should only have been asleep for an hour, but for some reason he had slept all day, it was coming up for dinner time already.  

    Draco looked at him from his seat at one side of the room and put down the book he had been reading.  

    "Wakie wakie sleeping beauty, I hope you don't mind, but I adjusted your alarm a bit, you needed the sleep."  Harry scowled at the blond and scrambled out of bed and grabbed his robes that had been left abandoned on the floor, his only thought was getting back to see Severus, he hadn't meant to sleep for so long. 

    "Tut tut," Draco summoned the robes just as Harry was about to put them on, "you can't go to great the world in those, come on, we'll find you something decent to where."  

    "Draco, I'm going to see Severus, give me back my clothes."  Harry was starting to feel the cold in his loose slacks.  Time to take out the big guns he decided.  Putting in his best puppy dog eyes he walked closer to Draco, "Please?" 

    "No way, your not going to see him looking like you slept in your clothes."

    "Hold on, Draco," Harrys' eyes widened in amazement, his puppy dog assault forgotten, "is he awake?"  

    "Yes, and down-"

    "Why didn't you tell me?  I told you to wake me up!"  Harry was heading to the door only to find it was sealed with a locking charm or two.

    "Let me finish Harry," Draco reached out to Harry guiding him back to sit on the bed, "he is down in the Great Hall for dinner, even Pomfry couldn't keep him in the hospital wing.  He came up here, but even he could see you needed your sleep, three days of non-sleep does that to a person."  Draco frowned as Harry tried to interrupt him, quelling the random words that would have no doubt been brought into existence.  "He is ok, not 100% but he decided he had to go make an appearance for the sake of the Slytherins who are left, they will need some one right now, and Severus is their Head of House. He will be the one they look to."  Draco finished his speech, standing up and heading to Harrys Wardrobe.

    "What do you mean by not a hundred percent, and when was he up here?"  

    "He is fine really, just gona be a few days till he is skulking round the halls and devastating Gryffindors house points.  And, he was up here about," Draco checked his watch, "two hours ago, he just said not to wake you and he would talk to you later tonight."  Draco pulled out the clothes he had been looking for and delved back into mass of clothes, apparently looking for something else.

    "Ah ha!"  Draco pulled out a cloak that went on top of the outfit he had just chosen and handed them to Harry.  "Go put these on."  Harry walked through to the bathroom and came back ten minutes later looking at the Slytherin disbelievingly.

    "Draco, you can't possibly think I am wearing this, I look ridiculous, and I'm far too over dressed, for gods' sake, I look like you."

    "I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but you will never be as deliciously stunning as me."  Draco smirked teasingly, "and of course you are going in that, you saved the whole wizarding world, if you were a hero before, you are a god now - not that you'd notice being locked in that hospital wing -.  You have to dress the part."

    "But this Draco?  I look like a gay Robin Hood."  He was dressed in a white ruffled shirt that laced up at the front and showed a teasing V of toned chest with black suede trousers hugging his legs and a forest green cloak over it all.         

    "Well, who says Robin Hood wasn't gay?"

    "Walt Disney, you moron."  Harry tried not to preen in the mirror as he said this; it would not help his argument that he did in fact, like the clothes.

    "Who? Oh never mind, I'll ask Terry later, now look, stop trying to convince me you don't like the clothes, it took me forever to bye this outfit, and I know you are just gagging to show or dear Potions Master just how drop dead gorgeous you look in it."  

    "Why on earth was it in _my_ wardrobe Draco, if you are the one who bought it?" 

    "Because I bought it for you, for this very occasion, I brought it up while you were sleeping, now come on, you have a snarky bastard to dazzle."  Harry followed Draco to the great hall, Draco mostly talking whilst Harry listened, from what Harry had gathered; there were all sorts of rumours flying round about his absence.  Some thought he was dead, some thought he had been turned into a vampire, others that he was now living as a Muggle, and so on and so forth, noun had guessed that he had been sitting at his lovers side the whole time.

    "Now Harry, one last thing, I wasn't joking when I say the whole wizarding world adores you, I would use it to my advantage before they get fickle again if I were you."

    "What's that supposed to mean Dray?"  Harry could here a sombre sort of muffled talking coming from the great hall through the closed doors; there was an air of sadness that felt impenetrable from where he stood.  

    "It's supposed to mean, that it's now or never if you want the world to know about you and Severus, trust me, I'm a Malfoy, I know these things."  Before Harry could answer Draco threw open the doors to the Hall and walked through.  Harry stood for a moment before following him.  

    Sombre conversations turned to whispers as he walked in.  On his third step into the room the whole Gryffindor table stood applauding and yelling, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw were quick to follow and then to the shock of most of the others in the room Slytherin joined in.  Draco slipped quietly to his table and left Harry standing there, shocked to the core, and looking around in amazement at the shining eyes of his peers.  Each and every one was looking at him with hope, no matter what sorrow or heart ach they had suffered through the war, he was their savoir.   

    A heated stare burned into him.  Harry turned his head to the front of the room andat the teachers tables sat a pale faced Severus, still looking deader than usual, but awake and watching him, his top lip curled, just as Harry knew it would be, into a half smile, smouldering eyes watching him with concealed lust.  Dracos' words stuck with him. _ 'It's now or never if you want the world to know about you and Severus'. _ He set off, head held high, his eyes unwaveringly meeting his lovers as the entire population of Hogwarts cheered him, some slightly confused at his fixation with the Slytherin head of house, but to happy to see their hero alive and well to comment.  

    Harry stepped up to the teachers table, dipping his head a little and smiling at Dumbledore before walking round and standing next to Severus' chair.  The Potions Master promptly stood, raising a single eyebrow at the 'gay Robin Hood'.

    Harry just smiled, putting his arms around the familiar slim shoulders and standing on his toes to bring their faces mere inches apart.

    "Harry what do you think you are doing?"  Severus hissed, so quiet no one could here him, which was barely a whisper as the whole hall had gone silent, everyone but Dumbledore and Draco exchanging confused glances.  

    "I'm proving a point."

    "Well, this is an idiotic place to do it."  Harry just shrugged lightly, Severus wasn't being hostile, just snarky, Harry didn't care, he had missed that deep voice and those beautiful eyes, as long as Severus was talking to him, he didn't care where it was.  He could feel well defined muscles rippling against him, and hot breath on his lips.

    "Seemed as good a place as any."

    "Well, it would, you're a Gryffindor. However, as it might have escaped your notice that every one is watching us, may I point it out for you?"

    "I'm sure you will live.  I want to prove to you, that its you I want, not Draco, or any one else, I have come to discover I love you Severus Orion Snape, and I'm not letting go of you, so deal with it."  With that Harry kissed his lover.        Students gasped and fainted and generally did shocked type things but Harry didn't care, he just sunk deeper into Severus' strong arms, the kiss was hard and desperate, flooded with emotions and fears, and a promise that nether of them could live with out the other.      

    An amused cough brought them up for air and to the sparkling eyes of the current Headmaster of Hogwarts, who had politely turned away but was now currently regarding them with the sort of glee that made Harry half nervous half glad.  

    "Perhaps you gentlemen could continue this after dinner?"  Albus nodded meaningfully to the shocked student body who were currently trying to rouse a large number of people from the floor.   

    "Of course headmaster," Severus looked horrified, and was hurriedly trying to regain his composure; while Harry was on the verge of hysterics at the sight of his thoroughly snogged Professor glancing at the students with fear.  Albus wandered back to his seat, eyes still twinkling.

    "Brat," Hissed Severus.

    "You didn't seem to be complaining a couple of seconds ago."  Harry teased.

    "Do you know what this will do to my reputation?"

    "I might mean that Neville will actually be able to survive a potions class now that he knows you are just as human as the rest of us?"  That earned him a half hearted glare.

    "They will no longer fear me, or respect me." Harry let out a laugh at the genuine worry on Sev's face. 

    "Oh shush, I'm sure they will."  Indeed, almost every one was awake by now, and Harry caught more than a few girls and several boys watching them with interest.  

    "You are a brat."  Severus repeated, apparently in some form of shock.  Harry pulled him down for a second kiss, willing to try anything to get rid of the terrified look on the pale mans face.  As they broke away Harry was stunned to see people cheering them on.  He blinked once again in amazement, people really were supporting them.  Then again, he was willing to bet that they would do anything to make their Potions master less of a bastard.  He silently wished them good luck with that hopeless plan.

    With another meaningful look form Albus Harry started to retreat back to the Slytherin table to sit with Draco but Severus caught his arm.  

    "I…I, I love you too."  He whispered into Harrys' ear, making the Gryffindor shiver in delight, before releasing him to go sit with Draco and Terry, grinning ear to ear.      

~*~*~Fin~*~*~

There all over, I'm not sure that as a great ending though, I was wondering what every one thinks, should I do a sequel, or an Epilogue, or just leave it at that?   I'd love to hear what you all think.  


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